Music, poetry, pizza and beer are all on offer to kickstart Totnes Tennis Club’s fundraising campaign for a brand new disabled friendly clubhouse.
The club must raise £260,000 to replace its existing clubhouse and is launching
Its fundraiser with a party at Dartington’s Meadowbrook Community Centre on Thursday April 28 from 8pm.
Revellers will be treated to readings by Totnes and Wimbledon Poet Laureat Matt Harvey, live music from Little Big Band and tunes provided by DJ James G.
There will also be pizza from Pizzalogical, and a tennis themed beer - ‘You Cannot Be Serious’ - created for the event by Dartington-based New Lion Brewery as a nod to John McEnroe’s immortal line uttered to the Wimbledon umpire who refused to rule his serve in during the 1981 championships.
The club has gained planning permission to replace its existing clubhouse at Borough Park with a disabled friendly one which can accommodate its thriving junior players and disability groups.
Designed by Totnes-based Rud Sawers Architects, the new clubhouse is bigger and has disabled access and disabled changing rooms, male and female changing room and loos, more storage, a function room and an outside area viewing and picnic area.
Club chairman Francis Porter said: “We feel it is essential that we can create inclusive and accessible opportunities for everyone both on and off the court.
“Tennis is an amazing sport that is ideally suited for everyone to play.
“In fact tennis is one of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the world.
“Our modern on-court facilities are ideal and regularly used with our very successful special needs and wheelchair tennis coaching programmes.
“However, our clubhouse is very small, old and inaccessible for these users.
“It is essential that everyone is treated equally and so we are urgently fundraising to bring to reality our vision for a safe modern accessible clubhouse for all the local community.”
Last August the club held a 50th anniversary charity day consisting of tennis, coaching, activities and exhibitions and which raised £6,000 for the Dartington-based disability charity, Lifeworks.
The event also launched the club’s disability tennis programme ‘IPlay30’ led by coach Tonia Gooderham and specially trained club volunteers.
The programme has grown from strength to strength and now some 36 youngsters from both Lifeworks and Bidwell Brook Special Education School enjoy free weekly tennis sessions at the club.
The fundraiser is for adults aged 18 and over and tickets cost £8 online or £10 at the door.
To buy online visit www.wegottickets.com/event/542294