Chestnut End
Halton Village
Nr Aylesbury
Bucks HP22 5PD
Tel : 01296 623453 HVLTC
02 October 2018
Dear Member
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Welcome to my first report as your new Chairman of Halton Village tennis club
It’s been a real privilege and honour to follow John Walker as your new club chairman; whilst I’ve been involved with the club for many years (starting in 1993) on the coaching & operational side, it’s been great fun and a new challenge having a much wider role as Club Chairman.
I would like to start with a ‘thank you’ to the many people who continue to give their time and expertise to help run & improve our club, especially the Club Playing Committee and those who do the Mix Ins at Club Sessions plus all our Team Captains who have all helped to make it another busy and successful year. Thank you for your invaluable commitment to the club.
Our ambition is to‘create an outstanding club experience’- something for everyone so we all feel at home and where everyone is a host as well as a guest. We regularly receive feedback from new members about how welcome they have been made. Thank you to those who have helped maintain this incredible level of support to new members.
We really try hard to keep the club feel; although over the years we have grown our facilities, our membership numbers have remained roughly the same, and your feedback has always been that “retaining the club feel” is very important.
Thank you to Pete Taylor & Lisa Hale for keeping our tennis club looking magnificent throughout the year keeping up with the constant cleaning challenge.
As a club we sit within Halton Tennis Centre, the umbrella organisation that provides the management/operational, financial and facilities support for each of the 8 activities (Club Tennis, Everyball Coaching, Junior Performance Tennis, Disability Tennis, RAF Tennis, Health & Fitness Club, Cyclingand Pavilion Bar/Catering).
This structure provides us with stability, consistency and a professional input, as well as employment opportunities for over 50 people and work experience/apprenticeships for local youngsters.
AGM
The date of our next AGM is Tuesday 19th January 2016 at 8pm.
Even if AGMs are not your thing, hopefully we can tempt you to join us with a free glass of wine and nibbles !
Most if not all the news and activities of the past 12 months have already been published in our regular e-newsletters, and website. I have therefore kept my report to the main highlights and thoughts for 2016
MEMBERSHIP
Adults: Our membership levels have remained similar over the last 12 months (with new members matching those leaving). We currently have approx. 220 full adults, and 34 off peaks; evenly split between Men & Ladies. Whilst it is not our intention to grow much beyond current levels, it is a low membership for the size of our facilities and we will continue to actively promote the club in our local community. Our Rusty Rackets sessions continue to be a very popular way of joining the club.
Juniors: Our junior section has some 150 members and 150 Mini (under 9) members.
Subscriptions: there will be no change/increase to our tennis subscription rates for 2016
TENNIS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR
Adults
Many congratulations to both our Men’s & Ladies 1 Teams who have had an outstanding summer finishing in the top 8 clubs in the UK (National Club league). Men’s 1 won through to National club finals for the 1st time in our history and finished 5th & Ladies 1 finishing 7th
Tennis Jeannie – a singles/doubles box league competition for adults & juniors continues to attract over 150 members.
Some of our Results are below – well done everyone - a lot of winning teams!!
Bucks Shield champions – Ladies 1 & Men’s 1 were champions
Bucks Mixed Cup - Knockout Champions
County Week – our players again featured strongly in the Senior Bucks Men’s & Ladies teams with the Ladies runners up in Group 1 and the Men promoted to Group 4
Ladies
Ladies 1 Bucks Shield Premier division winners
Ladies 2 Bucks Shield won division 1 and promoted to Premier
Ladies Bucks shield (2 pair) division 5 runners up
Ladies 3 Bucks Shield won division 3 and promoted
Ladies 1 A&D won division and remain in top division
Ladies 2 A&D winter remain in division 2
Ladies 3 A&D won Division 6 and were promoted to Division 5
Ladies 2 A&D won division 3 and promoted
Men
Men’s 1 Bucks Shield premier division winners
Men’s 2 Bucks Shield won division 1 and promoted to premier
Men’s 3 Bucks Shield summer promoted to division 2 & winter remained in division 3
Men’s 2 pair Bucks Shield, division 5 runners up
Men's 2 A&D won winter division 2 and summer division 2 and promoted
Men 4 (2 pair) came 2nd in division 5 but with same points as Chesham Bois; awaiting news on promotion!
Men’s 3 won division 6 and promoted
Mixed & Vets
Mixed1 winter winners of 1st division
Mixed 1 won Summer 2015 Knock out trophy
Mixed medley 2nd in division 4 and promoted
Men’s 1 won their division and promoted to the top division for this winter 2015
Ladies 3 won their division and have been promoted
Super Vets
Super Vets 1 got promoted to Division One. Never too late to play at the top!!
Super Vets Ladies 2, won division 3 promoted to division 2
Super Vets Medley 2 winter won division 2 & now join the lofty heights of Halton 1 in division 1
Juniors
Halton Girls U14 National Champions - - Lauren Armstrong, Izzy Marshall, Scarlett Hutchinson, Alex Hildreth and Alexa Wilson with their team captain Jemima King
We have again achieved NO 1 status in the County for regularly competing juniors with over 200 children playing more than 6 matches in the year and over 130 playing 20+ matches
AASE – one more child has successfully completed the Advanced Apprenticeship in sporting excellence
USA Scholarships – three players successfully achieved a scholarship to study and play tennis – Georgie Sanders, Alice Patch and JJ Clark through US Tennis Scholarships – Jemima King.
Daniel Dean and Alexa Wilson won the Road to Wimbledon County Finals and played at the National Finals on the grass courts of Wimbledon
Total of 15 Junior Teams in Aegon Junior Club League
Under 8 Red B Team won the county division
3 x Under 9 Orange Teams Runners Up in county division
Under 10 Green Team Runners Up in county division
INDOOR COURTS
Having indoor tennis is a significant financial challenge for any club, and has been the subject of discussion at previous AGMs especially its impact on our subscription rates.
We now enter our 8th year of having 6 indoor courts and a mini zone of 3 courts. We are very conscious of all the various groups of membership and will endeavour to share the facilities as evenly as possible, but we have to make the courts pay to keep us economically sustainable.
Whatever the challenges, I think we would all agree that we enjoy a fantastic tennis facility and one that every other club in the UK would love to have.
FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS
Our ambition is to always provide the best facilities in Buckinghamshire/surrounding area; this year we have added a fantastic new meeting room (thank you Andy Mclean for the WOW factor design!) as well as the children’s swings/play area and lots of new plants and landscaping which I hope you will agree has further improved the club
Our future plans for 2016 include
- Develop the area behind the acrylic dome to include a mini court, toilet block and multi-sport area
- Install a mini court including hitting wall in the area currently occupied by the stand (which is moving/downsizing to the current hitting wall area)
- Development of our kitchen facilities with a new preparation room (planning permission being sought)
- Resurface our entry road
- Continue to create a beautiful looking club!
We often receive very positive comments from visitors/other clubs who are always impressed with our continued drive to improve our facilities
CLAY COURTS
Please use the drag mats every time you play; it only takes a few minutes at the end of your game, but helps keep the courts in good condition, they last longer and of course you get much better and more even bounces
ACRYLIC COURTS
Please be very careful not to hit the playing surface with your racket – the soft acrylic we chose for our old knees (!) is easily cut by improper use of the tennis racket
GIRLS TENNIS
A new ‘girls tennis’ initiative, was started up by Jemima King in 2014 with the female coaches at Halton with the aim to increase the number of girls participating in tennis and exercise. Currently the ratio of boys to girls playing is 4:1 and Jemima and her team are passionate about reversing this trend.
Jemima is in her 2nd year of running 'Miss-Hits' –a scheme launched by Judy Murray - a fun starter tennis program for girls age 5-8.Everyball Tennis female coaches were invited last year to be one of the first tennis coaching teams in the UK to launch this program; the program has now been launched nationally.It's an indoor activity, which means dancing to warm up and fun, colourful equipment that won't blow away in the wind or get wet.
'Everyball and Buckinghamshire Girls' - throughout 2015, Jemima has been running fun girls only sessions and fun competitions to cater for players aged between 5 and 18 from all clubs in Bucks with the total number of girls coming through the initiative reaching 287.
All Buckinghamshire female coaches and volunteers are invited to bring along their players, and it is hoped that the sessions will help to create a wide network of female coaches and players. Jemima, Sam, Camilla and Nicola have recently organised a team competition for red and orange players (aged 5-8) to encourage girls to enter with a friend, team of 2 playing singles and doubles. It was a huge success with more than 12 pairs entered.
Jemima King along with 8 players from Halton participated in a teen girls tennis camp with Judy Murray in May. It was an inspirational day, which has inspired and engaged the Halton girls. Four other girls were invited along to the National Tennis Centre for a fun teen competition in September and Jemima and the girls thoroughly enjoyed the weekend competing against other girls from around the country.
CHARITY SUPPORT
Charities that we supported includeProstate Cancer UK, Stoke Mandeville Special Care Baby Unit, Gt Ormond Street Hospital, Macmillan Cancer support, Happy Days Children charity, Breast Cancer campaign, Interserve & Action Medical Research
In addition, the Coaching team have also provided financial support to performance players over the last year.
DISABILITY TENNIS
Under the leadership of Josh Card & Alex Barnes, 2015 saw Halton provide many tennis experiences (classes, camps and festivals) for children & adults - including wheelchair, Visually Impaired, deaf and educational special needs as well as off site at 4 schools. Every week some 40 players enjoy the game
Halton works closely with Wheel Power & the Spinal Unit at Stoke Mandeville; most of our coaches are also trained disability coaches delivering the sessions supported by volunteers from the Club and Berkhamsted School.
Thank you also to our sponsors Alamac ( who have joined the team to help finance the programme of activities.
SOCIAL CALENDAR
Many congratulations and thanks to Ellen North & Michael Hill, for organising our social calendar activities during the year; if there are any activities or events you wish to see in 2016 please let us know.
December activities are
Saturday 5th Mini Club Christmas party
Saturday 5th December Ladies Club Champs (tableau A)
Friday 11th FUN night club session with the coaches
Sunday 13th Club Adult Christmas Lunch
Sunday 20th Club Mix In - Mince Pies and Mulled Wine
Tuesday 29th Christmas Adult Club tournament (10-2pm)
Wednesday 30th Adult/Child tournament (10-2pm)
CLUBHOUSE & CATERING
Many congratulations to Julia & Steve (now in their 11thyear with us) and their team for another very busy and successful year and in particular the number of parties and events held on a Saturday night at the club.
This summer we said goodbye to James our young chef, and in November we welcome our new chef Thomas. Many thanks to Steve for coping on his own during the last few months
Every month over £12,000 is spent by members and guests in the Pavilion. Julia would like to especially mention/thank the ‘backroom’ team for all their hard work.
Thank you all for using our catering/bar – we try to keep it open as much as possible (every lunchtime and evening) but it remains a major challenge to run a small club catering operation whilst remaining financially sustainable.
We are looking at current arrangements. We also very much welcome regular feedback about all aspects of the catering including about the menu and the range of drinks on offer to see how this can be continually improved. Please do come to us with any suggestions and general comment.
COACHING
We hope you'll agree that our coaching programme (now in its 13th year) continues to move from strength to strength. 2015 has seen quite a few changes to the team: we said goodbye to Pete Thorne, Mark Hunter, Cerys Hughes, Ed Taylor & Alison Sharp and welcomed Darren Emery, Cameron Malik & Nicola Mooney as well as Thomas Schmidt on a gap year. Behind the scenes, Alison Morgan is also now providing additional admin support.
Our current coaching team boast over 100 years of coaching at Halton!
The Friday night 'FUN' EVENING WITH COACHES’ have gone very well, and we will continue to schedule these every few months.
As 'Holiday Camps Director' & Senior coach, Danny West has done another superb job this year and the 'Multi Sport Summer Camp' was especially popular.
Danny West continues to lead the coaching program at Tring Tennis Club in its second year and we are delighted to announce that from January 2016 Everyball will be heading up the coaching program at Wendover Tennis Club
Schools Tennis; there are some 20 local schools that we work with to promote tennis and deliver coaching at the school & local community with some 600 children receiving coaching.
Performance tennis: Alan Hutcherson & Neale Proud are doing a super job at developing our more ambitious youngsters in the Aspirantes programme – the first step on the performance journey age 6.
Notwithstanding the change of direction and funding by the LTA, we will continue to deliver junior performance coaching and have teamed up with 4 other centres around the UK (Bath, Bolton, Nottingham & Gosling) to share resources and expertise.
Performance Junior Tennis costs a lot of money and as such we are always looking at ways of supporting it and helping to KTDAkeep the dreams alive of a Halton player one day walking onto Centre Court at Wimbledon; any help that you can offer to make this possible would be greatly appreciated by joining the group. Thank you especially to Alec Clapperton who has organised the 100 Club, the profits of which go towards KTDA.
AASE (advanced apprenticeship in sporting excellence)
We had 1 Halton student graduate this summer in the Advanced Apprenticeship of Sporting Excellence Scheme (AASE). A further 2 students are following closely in her footsteps under the watchful eye of Jemima King our AASE Programme Manager. Over 30 of our youngsters have participated in this scheme over the last 7 years with many going on to USA College Sports scholarships.
This scheme is an NVQ-style programme financed by the Skills Council and available to any children over 16 in full-time education, who are serious about their tennis. There are also considerable financial benefits to students with their squad coaching costs. Halton and the LTA had an Ofsted inspection last year. The apprenticeship scheme being delivered at Halton was given an ‘outstanding’ rating - the first sport within the AASE program to receive this score.
The coaches would like to thank you all once again for supporting them, and look forward to another fruitful year with you on the courts.
HEALTH & FITNESS
The club has completed its 6th year in its new larger home and enjoys continued growth and success with a current membership of some 440. The unique outdoor area continues to attract new members and the new classes included in the membership have been well received.
Tennis members are entitled to a 20% discount on gym membership
Gemma has launched a superb new range of Health MOT options for everyone including family/friends (gym membership not required)
The team are always on hand to support you in getting the most out of your tennis game. So if you require physiotherapy, sports massage, Pilates, health and dietary advice or would like to improve your tennis game by up to 20% without hitting a ball, then don't hesitate to contact them!