Community Support
Lifeworks have recently received £6,674 from Totnes Tennis Club’s 50th Anniversary Celebration event on 8th August and we want to thank everyone who made the day such a resounding success. The 50th celebration itself was a day filled with tennis coaching, activities and exhibitions including one off matches with the UK’s number one female wheelchair tennis player, triple Paralympic medallist, Lucy Shuker.
Inclusive and Accessible Sport
The event reinforced Totnes Community Tennis Club’s commitment to providing tennis for all in the community. They partnered with the charity, Bright Ideas for Tennis who provide clubs with support to offer bespoke tennis opportunities for people with disabilities and mental ill health.
Bright Ideas for Tennis, led by ex-Davis Cup player Danny Sapsford, concluded the day with a training session for the Club’s coaches and volunteers as well as staff from our Robin’s service in the unique ‘iPlay 30’ coaching programme. This now enables the club to deliver specialised coaching to those in the community who will benefit, starting with Bidwell Brook School and Lifeworks!
After the training, Danny Sapsford, former Wimbledon player turned inspirational tennis coach said, “You’ve proved just how inclusive tennis can be. You are a shining example of exactly what can be done.”
Fundraising Success
The funds were raised across the community through the coaching sessions on the day, a raffle, wonderful food cooked by chefs from The Cott Inn and 25 local companies sponsoring the activities with a new banner at the club bearing their logos to promote the generous support offered.
Totnes Community Tennis Club’s Chairman Francis Porter said, “The support and energy of everyone involved in the Club’s celebration was deeply moving – the day was a success far beyond our wildest dreams. The Club is passionate about supporting the community’s special education needs establishments to ensure that we can bring the wonderful game of tennis to everyone, and the training that our coaches and volunteers received on the day was a wonderful start to our exciting vision for tennis in the community.”
Kat Lacy, Fundraising Manager at Lifeworks said, “Lifeworks want to sincerely thank Totnes Community Tennis Club, their members and supporters for the hard work and generosity that went into raising this money for our work. It will make a real difference in supporting children, young people and adults with learning disabilities to have a great life. There can be many barriers to sports for people with disabilities and it is wonderful to see Totnes Tennis Club address this with their promise of making tennis more accessible and inclusive in Totnes. We can’t wait to get started with lessons!”
Totnes Tennis Club believes anyone can play tennis, whatever their ability, motivation, community of background. They have 4 courts – 3 new artificial grass lit by new LED floodlights, and one all-weather hard court; offering tennis to the public from 7am to 10pm 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
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