Spring is here...

..and we have already seen more activity at the courts as the weather picks up.  We have entered seven teams to compete in the Gloucestershire  summer league so there are lots of opportunities to play competitive tennis this season.  Our new coach Ben Hardwick has already started a series of excellent training sessions to prepare players for action and it is already paying dividends for those attending. To book sessions please go to the adult coaching section on his website. Ben is now with us full-time and has lots of ideas to grow the club across the age spectrum; he is also keen to expand the range of tennis activities available and will be reaching out to local schools. Ben is also available for private sessions (for members and non-members) and he is already building up this side of his activities. For more information, go to his website  or contact him on 07807 427586 (email address is tennisaceben@hotmail.co.uk )

Round Robin - Sunday 24 March 

It looks like this date might be a wee bit too early for our Round Robins to resume again. So far we don't have enough participants to make it work as well as it should and  we need another half dozen.  Please contact rbmcnally1@gmail.com if you want to sign up (i.e DO NOT RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THIS CLUBSPARK EMAIL ADDRESS). If we go ahead with the tournament,  the start time will now be 10 AM rather than 11 AM as previously stated.  We will decide whether it is viable by Friday 22 March. 

Fantastic Easter offer for children

Ben will be running Easter coaching sessions for children (ages 4-16 years) on 25, 27 and 29 March and 1, 3 and 5 April (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) from 10 AM to 2 PM. The cost is only £25 per child per day, or £60 for all 3 days in a week (extra discounts for siblings).  This is great value and promises lots of exciting activities for all participants.  You can book online now.  Alternatively, you can call Ben on 07807 427586 or email tennisaceben@hotmail.co.uk  This is great value and should be fun for all participants.  

Change of date for Finals Day

We're  experimenting with a much earlier date for our club Finals Day, moving it to Sunday 14 July  We will be hosting a pop-up tennis shop, as well as a barbeque and refreshments stall. Everyone is welcome to enter for the games provided membership fees are paid by 1 April at the latest. Ben will be in touch soon with more details. 

Twenty years and going strong 

2024 marks the twentieth anniversary of the club and several celebrations are in the pipeline to mark the event.  We are planning a commemorative family fun day in September and will be inviting founding members as guests of honour.  A summer quiz (open to the whole community) is also on the agenda, and a dinner event is also a possibility.  Watch this space for more information!

AGM

As you will have seen, we held our AGM on 6 March and there was general agreement that we are making a steady recovery in membership numbers. Our courts have bedded down nicely, thanks to remedial work by the contractors, and we are now well placed to accommodate more members of all ages.  Please try to encourage more people to come and play. Anyone considering joining us can enjoy three free taster sessions at our social evenings on Mondays and Wednesdays (7 PM starts).  We are very pleased that we have been able to freeze our membership prices for 2024/25, thanks largely to our successful fundraising activities. We also hope to install much more efficient LED lights on our courts to cut down running costs and do our bit for the environment.

The Committee remains largely unchanged, including the recent addition of Jo Ballinger as our Welfare Officer, replacing Roz Wyatt.  However, Jenny Courts is making a welcome return to be the Honorary Treasurer, and we are extremely grateful to Andrea Welby for all the wonderful work that she has done in that role over many years. Some vacancies relating to the general running of the club were not filled and we would urge other members to volunteer on an ad hoc basis when required. Your club needs you!! 

Current news..

Many thanks to Councillor Stephen Davies who supported our bid to the Gloucestershire County Council Build Back Better fund, enabling us to offset the cost of our five-yearly electrical testing and the subsequent repairs required.  It's imperative that we achieve the highest safety standards and we now have a fresh certificate confirming that we tick all of the relevant boxes.