Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre. Silksworth, Sunderland.
A tennis club for players with visual impairments celebrated its birthday on 20th February at Silksworth Community Pool Tennis and Wellness Centre, Silksworth, Sunderland. The award wining facility was chosen to mark the start of a year of celebrations as it was one of the earliest venues to host the club.
Players from Wearside, Tyneside and Teesside gathered for a commemorative competition using specially adapted 'sound balls' which enable blind players to locate the ball by sound alone.
Founded by coach Wendy Glasper in 2011, the North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club delivers specialised tennis sessions for players who are blind or visually impaired in venues across the North East.
In the five years since it was founded the club has been a driving force in developing the sport in the North East and around the UK. With the support of many local partners such as The Tony Blair Sports Foundation, The Adderstone Foundation, The Northumberland Club and the LTA's Tennis Foundation the club has attained LTA registered status, trained five visually impaired players to become LTA qualified coaches and will host its third national Open VI Championships at the Northumberland Club in May.
Players from the club have competed around the UK and at the national championships at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, London.
If you're interested in getting involved as a player or a volunteer with NEVITC the club can be contacted by email at play@nevitc.org.
Their website is at www.nevitc.org.uk
