Lutterworth Tennis Club has secured Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund.
Sport England revealed that more than 1,000 local sports projects across the country have now received National Lottery funding through Inspired Facilities, which is part of the £150 million Places People Play legacy programme. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.
The money will be used to build an additional 5th floodlit court at the clubs Hall Lane Bitteswell site.
The Club is one of the oldest in Leicestershire having been in existence since 1944 and can boast a junior Wimbledon champion as one of its previous members.
Thanks to a Lottery Grant some 15 years ago, the club moved to its current site and since then it has grown year on year with currently over 170 juniors / adults attending coaching sessions every week.
The club has two adult and one junior club night with over 70 people attending each week, enters 40 Junior / adult teams in local leagues every year with great success and has several junior county players.
As a result of its success, demand for coaching and court time has outgrown its current facilities hence its application to the Inspired Facilities Fund.
Once completed, the club hope the new facilities will allow it to continue its growth , with a special aim of attracting new players young and old to the sport.
Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, said: “This National Lottery investment is helping us deliver a lasting sporting legacy in Leicestershire from last year’s successful Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“With so many clubs in the Midlands having benefitted from this fund already and building on the success of last summer, this is the legacy people want for their local community.”
Club chairman, David Buck, said: “Securing this investment is a tremendous step forward for the club. It will enable us to boost community participation in the sport and further develop a very keen and strong youth section. This is a key part of an overall strategy to improve facilities, in order to create a high quality environment to attract tennis players for years to come.”
Local MP, Andrew Robathan, said: “This is excellent news and I congratulate the Club on their success. Lutterworth Tennis Club provides valuable recreational and exercise opportunities – I may put myself on their waiting list.”
Lutterworth Tennis Club is one of 310 projects across England to receiving lottery investment from the third round of the Inspired Facilities fund and one of over 1,000 to benefit overall, with the milestone being achieved one year ahead of schedule.
Many more communities can still benefit from the fund, with a further two rounds remaining. Bids will be accepted for the fourth round of Inspired Facilities Funding from the 4 March 2013. You can find out more at www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities.