Hinckley Town Tennis Club were awarded back in March a grant from the LTA Tennis Foundation for their ‘Feel Good Tennis (FGT) Programme.’ This innovative new programme is designed to provide children and adults across Leicestershire with a mixed movement, tennis and wellbeing programme in a safe, welcoming environment.
Adaptable to each group’s requirements, the course is held over six, ninety minute sessions, either at the club or at the education setting. The grant awarded to us was one of only 29 good causes across the country demonstrating innovation and developed to make a real difference through tennis, showcasing the enjoyment and taking part in the sport.
The programme has been running for six months now and is proving to be of real benefit to those who have attended already. Our first adult programme, consisting of 6 weeks of tennis and wellbeing sessions has recently finished, and the feedback we have received is amazing. We have now run sessions for key workers and in schools.
Neil Roberts, Chairman of Hinckley Town Tennis Club and FGT Programme Lead said: ‘We are delighted with the results we are seeing with the Feel Good Tennis Programme and the impact it is having on those who have attended. We have hosted a group of key workers from the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and a couple of year groups from Westfield Primary School in Hinckley so far. We are introducing both adults and children to the great game of tennis, helping them become more active, whilst undertaking a number of mindfulness exercises. The Wellbeing and social aspects of the programme are essential too, with our Wellbeing Lead Fiona facilitating some important conversations, particularly around stress and anxiety in their own setting. Feedback has been amazing, with a number of children and adults wanting to take up the game following the course.”
The programme is designed to run over the next years, and is hoping to continue to spread the word regarding how sport and tennis in particular can help both body and mind. If you are part of a group in Leicestershire who would like to take part, please contact Neil at hinckleytennis@gmail.com