The Buckinghamshire Inclusive Tennis Network is managed by Tom Wood, based out of Halton Tennis Centre near Aylesbury. In 2013, Halton's team won the LTA's national award for delivering the most successful disability programme in the UK.
Tennis is a completely inclusive sport and nearly everyone can participate in tennis in its full format or when adapted. Tennis doesn't just offer people the chance to develop their fitness and coordination, but also to build social skills, confidence, self esteem and independence. The Tennis Foundation supports 40 Networks across the Country to offer the opportunities for disabled people in their local community to get involved with tennis.
Within Buckinghamshire and the surrounding area there are currently 3 clubs delivering disability tennis sessions on a weekly basis.
Halton Inclusive Tennis runs 9 sessions a week for children and adults who are in wheelchairs, have a visual impairment, are deaf or have a learning disability. They also deliver tennis in 5 Special Educational Needs schools across the county - full details of the sessions Halton runs can be found on their website http://www.haltontennis.co.uk/tennis/disability/
Milton Keynes Inclusive Tennis runs 5 weekly sessions for disabled youngsters and adults across the full range of disabilities - details of the sessions can be found on their website http://mkinclusivetennis.co.uk/
Radlett Tennis Club, although it is in Hertfordshire, delivers disability tennis under the Bucks Network. Jordan Miles runs Inclusive tennis sessions on a weekly basis for people with learning disabilities and visual impairments - details can be found on their website http://www.rltsc.com/
If you would like to know more about the Buckinghamshire Disability Tennis Network or book a session at one of our venues, please call Tom Wood on 07729 561884 or email him at tom@tomandsuewood.com
05/03/2014:
HALTON INCLUSIVE TENNIS HOST METRO TENNIS FOR A VISUALLY IMPAIRED MATCH
Eight Visually Impaired Tennis Players from Metro Tennis in Islington visited Halton for a tennis match against 6 players from Milton Keynes and Halton. The blind and visually impaired players travelled from London by train and were met at Wendover Station by Club Volunteers, Rachel and David Barnett, along with Tom Wood who ferried the visitors to Halton. Following some welcome refreshments, the players were briefed on the format of the match by Alex Barnes, Halton's Head Disability Coach, and split into 4 groups based on their levels of vision. The matches were 7 minutes long and played in a tiebreak format within round-robin groups. There were 60 short matches in total, after which Odette Battarel from Metro played Sarah Fortescue from Milton Keynes in the B2 (partially sighted) final with Odette prevailing in a close fought match. Peter Bosher from Halton was the top player in the B1 class (totally blind) and Kseniya Blake from Milton Keynes won the prize for sportsmanship for her positive approach to the match. Following the tennis, players and coaches enjoyed a traditional 'tennis tea' in Halton's Club House and Tom thanked everyone for making the event such a fantastic success.
If you are interested in playing VI Tennis or would like to know more about Halton's Inclusive Tennis Programme, please contact Tom Wood on 07729 561884.
11/03/2014: MK INCLUSIVE TENNIS
As you may know Mk inclusive tennis are part of the Bucks Disability network run by Tom Wood from Halton tennis Club.
Mk inclusive tennis have been created to increase participation in disability tennis and have a wider brief to bring tennis to socially and financially disadvantaged areas of Milton Keynes
We have begun work in supporting Tom with existing sessions and at the same time establishing new sessions at schools and other venues.
We are also working with groups such as MK community foundation to deliver tennis to areas of deprivation and need.
We have a new website www.mkinclusivetennis.co.uk and a Facebook page www.facebook.com/mkinclusivetennis where you can be kept up to date with what’s happening.
Mk inclusive tennis is led by Nigel Willard and is supported by Emma Maitland emma@mkinlcusivetennis.co.uk who is our Tennis Development Manager and Claire White admin@mkinclusivetennis.co.uk who will look after administration. We have a team of five LTA licensed or registered coaches delivering sessions for us.
For any matters please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to fulfilling our goal of providing opportunities for everyone and anyone to play tennis in Milton Keynes
Nigel Willard
Director of Tennis
07946 734377
14/05/2014
More Schools than ever at Halton's SEN Festival:
Seventy school children from 7 local Special Needs Schools - Alfriston, Wendover House, Penn School, Chiltern Gate, Heritage House, Stocklake and Maplewood School - had a fun day of tennis with Halton's Inclusive Tennis Coaches. Seven coach-led groups, covered the whole range of tennis skills, from holding a racket to serving and finished off with a range of fun games and activities. Alex Barnes, Halton's Head Disability Coach said 'It was our best Tennis Festival to date - we were exceptionally lucky with the weather and the children loved every minute of it. Everyone, including the coaches, were just brilliant.'
