During his day in the county Derek visited the Tarka Tennis Centre where he met Head Coach Chris Gill and heard about the Centre's great achievements including the vast growth of the junior coaching & competition programme and the successful hosting of October's AEGON pro series event with plans to continue to expand and hold a Men’s event as well as the Ladies' event in future years.
Next it was on to Braunton School and Braunton Tennis Club where Derek viewed the existing courts and the site for the proposed facilities improvement consisting of 4 new macadam courts and installation of floodlights. Representatives from both the club and school were on hand to talk about the benefits this project would bring to the local village community.
Finally it was off to Westward Ho! Tennis Club to meet David Vinall and the committee who have all been actively involved in the relocation project which will hopefully give the club the opportunity to expand to an indoor rackets centre for North Devon. Derek praised the committee and volunteers for their hard work and said he hoped that next year would see the project completed.
Pictured from left to right Peter Colwill (President of Westward Ho! TC), Jo-Anne Downing (Tennis Development Manager, LTA), Derek Howorth (LTA President) and David Vinall (Chairman, Westward Ho! Tennis Club)