The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and Tennis Foundation announced yesterday that Morpeth Cricket, Hockey and Tennis Club in Northumberland, one of the area’s leading tennis sites, has been awarded ‘Beacon’ status as part of the AEGON Parks Tennis programme in recognition of their high quality, affordable community tennis programmes.
The announcement was made as the club was presented with their prestigious Beacon plaque by Tom Kinloch, LTA Main Board Member & Vice-Chairman of Northumberland LTA, and received ClubMark accreditation from the LTA for high standards of club management.
The club is one of 95 sites across the country to achieve the national accolade which recognises the best community-focussed facilities offering free and affordable tennis as part of the AEGON Parks programme.
To achieve this status, facilities must also offer access to quality, affordable coaching as well as regular competitions for all ages and abilities.
Kinloch, Vice-Chairman of Northumberland LTA and a Tennis Development Committee member, said: "I am delighted to present both Beacon and ClubMark plaques to Morpeth Tennis Club. It is testament to the team here of the hard work they are putting in to promote tennis to the local community that they are now recognised on the AEGON Parks programme.
"Tennis is a sport for everyone and the AEGON Parks programme is helping to spread that message and deliver tennis to all in the local community. Morpeth is a great example of that and we look forward to seeing the programme here grow and develop over the coming years."
Morpeth Tennis Club has six courts at its home in the grounds of Longhirst Hall on the outskirts of the town in Northumberland where it shares a clubhouse with the cricket and hockey clubs. All the facilities are open to the general public, and the tennis club provides training and coaching evenings for players of all ages as well as opportunities for league tennis.
Pippa Hawes, chairperson and head coach at Morpeth said: “We are very proud to achieve Beacon status and to receive the ClubMark award. It’s a great sign that we are doing things the right way.
“It’s a consequence of the hard work we have done here and our determination to make tennis available to as many local people as possible, whatever their age or ability.”
The Morpeth Cricket, Hockey and Tennis Club has also been selected as an Olympic Training Venue for London 2012.
AEGON Parks Tennis aims to increase community access to tennis in parks and communities nationwide. Delivered by the LTA and Tennis Foundation, AEGON Parks Tennis is a key programme in British tennis’ drive to increase participation and grow tennis at all levels. The long-term aim is to have an AEGON Parks Tennis site acting as a centre of community tennis excellence in each of the local authority areas in Britain.
ClubMark provides places where tennis is played with the tools and resources they need to help more people play tennis, delivering a quality on court programme, operating in line with best practice.
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Image - Pictured left to right at back: Pippa Hawes (Head Coach and Chairwoman), Tom Kinloch and Phil Givens (Coach) Pictured left to right front: Rowan Wasiejo, Lewis Eke, Ben Miller, Ewan Macdonald
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