Hill & Valley Lawn Tennis Club
Chedworth

NEWSLETTER 2011

Dear Member

CHAIRMAN'S CORNER

We enter 2011 with the hope that this will be the year in which we finally add a new court to our facilities. It is now three years since we first approached the Parish Council but they were not prepared to move forward until the affordable housing proposal for the Parish Council land had been resolved. We have now been able to reinvigorate our proposal, although we have had to be more conservative in our ambitions and have reduced our plans from two new courts to one. If successful, we are sure this will make a huge difference to some of the problems we have faced with trying to meet everyone’s expectations at peak times.

You may have read that we have now achieved the Clubmark standard, a kitemark awarded to sports clubs throughout the UK, who have demonstrated their ability to manage their club in a professional way and to have policies and procedures in place to ensure that continues. Fred Shaftoe, Graham Stock and John Robson worked really hard to ensure we achieved this, so our thanks to them.

We will be having a number of changes to the committee this year with Ian Taylor, Neil Kenning and myself stepping down. We have some strong candidates to step into these shoes and your committee have also decided to add an additional position of Tournament Secretary. This person will run a separate sub-committee reporting in to the main committee and will be responsible for organising all our different tournaments including the Coln Valley Tournament. Please do give committee members any suggestions you may have for improving your club and enjoy the new season after all the recent bad weather.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions for 2011 are now due.   For prompt payment, a discount is available up to the end of March.   Please fill in the membership form and return it to Fred Shaftoe as soon as possible.  Also please advise Fred Shaftoe of any prospective members who would like a copy of the Newsletter.

 The rates approved at the AGM (inclusive of LTA affiliation fees) are as follows:

TEMPORARY MEMBERSHIP

Temporary membership is available on a weekly basis at £6 per adult; £3 per youth/junior.   Contact Fred Shaftoe on 720074.

FLOODLIGHTS

Tokens cost £4.00 for 1 hour's play, and are available from

Chrissie Kenning  - 720086 
Fred Shaftoe        - 720074
John Robson        - 720657
Neil Irving            - 720403
Graham Stock      - 01451 860903

COURTS
Keys to the courts and the pavilion are available from Fred Shaftoe (720074).  A deposit of £5 per key is required.  Courts may be booked 8 days ahead. Matches are generally played in the evenings and they take priority over other bookings. 

Please note that to prevent damage to the surface, sports shoes with light soles should be worn when playing.

CLUB TENNIS

Club tennis is available on three occasions each week

Mondays is Men’s night starting at 6pm; details from Neil Irving (720403)
Tuesdays is Ladies night from 7-9.00pm; details from Claire Watson (720519)
Sundays is Mixed starting at 10am; details from Graham Stock (01451 860903).
Sundays are free of charge with tennis balls being provided. A small charge is usually levied for the Evening Sessions to cover lights and balls.

The sessions are a great way to meet new players and improve your mixed doubles tennis, so do come along. Players rotate partners and decide among themselves the number of games they play depending on whether others are waiting; usually playing 5 or 7 games at a time.  Committee members make an effort to be there, but cannot always guarantee it.  We try to continue throughout the winter months.

CLUBMARK
As mentioned in the Chairman’ Corner Hill & Valley LTC has been awarded Tennis Clubmark status by Gloucestershire LTA. So far only 12 out of a total 45 clubs in Gloucestershire have Tennis Clubmark status.

Clubmark is primarily a process based upon a set of standards to enable a club to develop, put in place and document best practice in a structured manner relating to Management of the club, its Policies and Procedures, the creation and completion of a Coaching Programme and its Development Planning.

This is not simply a theoretical or paper based exercise but in practical terms it ensures that we encourage as many people as possible to play tennis locally in a safe and welcoming environment and help them to achieve the standards of play that they want. 

A copy of the documents relating to the key Club Policies including Accident Guidance, Child Protection and Feedback policies and the Code of Practice for Members is available in the Clubhouse.

COMMUNICATION
It would be helpful for the committee to be able to contact members by e-mail. It would also save time and postage costs.   Please fill in your e-mail address on the application form. Also please advise Fred Shaftoe of any prospective members who would like a copy of the Newsletter. 

The club has a website at www.chedworth.org.uk/tennis. If you are interested in following the progress of the summer league matches follow the link to the Gloucestershire LTA results page.

AGM
This year the AGM will be held on March 4THand followed by supper at the Seven Tuns.  We would encourage all members to attend this social event and also take the opportunity of making your views known at the AGM. The Agenda and catering details will be sent out shortly.

2010 COMPETITIONS & TEAMS REVIEW
A full review of how our teams performed and how our Club Competitions fared in 2010 is only a click away . There is also a full page of photographs to look at. The review shows how vibrant the club is in every respect and our thanks are due to all those who spend so much time arranging and participating in such a wide range of activities.

2011 DIARY DATES

2011 COACHING PROGRAMME
We are pleased to offer a full programme of both group and individual coaching by our fully qualified Coaches for both Adults and Children at all levels of ability. Details can be found below.

WIMBLEDON TICKETS
The club gets an allocation of tickets for the Wimbledon Championships, based on the number of your club members (adults and juniors aged 9 and over) who have signed up as a British tennis members by the 31st January 2011.

Wimbledon tickets through the club ballot will only be available to British tennis members and only club members who are signed up as British Tennis members will be eligible for the tickets. If you hadn’t signed up by 31st January 2011 you will not be eligible for Wimbledon tickets. Tickets are expected to be balloted at the courts on club evening on Tuesday 19th April at 7.00 pm, but depending on the LTA’s distribution arrangements this date could alter.  Those interested should attend or send a representative.  Those unable to do either should contact a committee member.

PLEASE REMEMBER that all tickets MUST be paid for at the ballot and you MUST be a BRITISH TENNIS MEMBER and bring along your membership number.

BRITISH TENNIS MEMBERSHIP
If you wish to become a British Tennis member and the club would encourage you to do so (especially as our Wimbledon ticket allocation is determined by it) or have any queries about membership please ring 0845 8737202 or access their website www.lta.org.uk/membership.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

As mentioned elsewhere Stephen Scott-Smith, Neil Kenning and Ian Taylor are not standing for re-election at the March AGM and we are most thankful for their significant contribution over such a long period.

 I hope that you can continue to support your club so well as we are dependent on an active membership.

On behalf of the committee I wish you all an enjoyable tennis season.

Fred Shaftoe
Hon Secretary Hill & Valley LTC
February 2011


COACHING PROGRAMME 2011

Junior Coaching

Junior coaching for members starts again on Monday 28th February and will continue during school term time. The first session will run for six weeks until the school Easter holiday which starts on 11th April. During this time we may re-assess players ready for the Summer term which then starts Tuesday 26th April in blocks of five weeks to half term and then six weeks to summer. Coaching will be carried out by Philippa and Graham with the assistance of Carole and Chrissie on the following days.

Junior coaching will start Monday 28th February

Please call Graham Stock on 01451-860903 or 07710-868206  (e-mail grahamstock@aol.com) or Chrissie Kenning on 01285-720086 for further information.

After three coaching sessions juniors are required to be members of Hill & Valley Tennis Club.  Benefits are free British Tennis membership and entry into club junior competitions. See clubhouse notice board for further  information. A 10% discount will be offered to junior club members who book the full 5 or 6 six week course.

A maximum of 12 per course will be strictly imposed, the name of any one applying after that will be recorded and notified when space becomes available.

For those who are at senior school (teenagers) we will run coaching sessions on Tuesday afternoons for boys (12 – 17 years) 5 – 6pm and Saturday afternoons from 5pm to 6pm for the girls (12 – 17 years). We will from time to time have adults playing to give you the experience of playing with members of the club.
Please register now by calling Graham on 01451 860903 / 07710 868206 (e-mail grahamstock@aol.com).

Adult Coaching