A view from the Chair – February update
Here we are in February and already lots of members are braving the cold and heading out to play. All five hard courts were in use at last Saturday’s social session – this bodes well for the year ahead! Roll on the Spring and the opening up of our grass courts, and sunshine every day…
Thank you, by the way, to the conscripts – sorry, ‘volunteers’ – who have kindly stepped up to manage the Thursday and Saturday social sessions. This seems to be working well now but there’s still a few gaps on the rota. Head over to https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/ShrewsburyLawnTennisClub/HelpOut if you are feeling altruistic.
We need YOU. Give a little more. Give a little back.
Edie, our new Membership Secretary, will soon start to send invitations to members to rejoin the club for the 2025/6 club year. These invites will go out in early March. Please try to respond – and pay! – quickly so that we know where we are with numbers for the year. Quite a few people have expressed an interest in joining but they will be kept at arm’s length, on a separate list, while we assess the number of members signing up again for another year.
Some of you may know, or have sensed, that we have a slight imbalance across male and female club members. There’s more of us guys than there are ladies. While this isn’t exactly a demographical disaster, it does have consequences – for example in mixed doubles competitions we never have quite enough women to match up with the men.
My point is that – while we are not desperate for new members – it would be great to get a few more ladies on board. If you know anyone who might be interested in joining, please get them to visit https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/ShrewsburyLawnTennisClub/Membership/Join, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on ‘Expressions of Interest’.
What else is happening?
Work on ‘flood resilience’ is due to start on Thursday this week in the clubhouse which means the clubhouse will be closed for a couple of days.
We’ve applied for planning permission for a new storage shed. I know - you were desperate to know how that project is going.
A small group of members has formed to develop ideas on the clubhouse refurbishment and is due to meet later this month.
Our team captains, Toby and Sarah, are busy working out who will be playing in the Summer Leagues this year and how we can repeat or even exceed our success from last year.
The ball recycling kit from Dyuce has been delivered and will be installed this week. Not quite sure where yet, but it should be up by Saturday. You won’t miss it. It’s a big green round thing.
Your committee is busy working on an enhanced programme of competitions and events which we expect to post online in March.
Harrison came back from Sri Lanka and is still married so far as we know. Great to have you back, H.
That’s all from ‘the chair’ this month. Play good tennis and see you soon,
Jeremy