Club News

1.Clubhouse and Grounds Team Leader

At the last Committee meeting we were still waiting, and hoping, that some one would volunteer to take over one of the roles that Peter Richardson had undertaken, that of Maintenance Co-ordinator. He was well supported by a small team of members who were able to take part in a few Sunday morning maintenance mornings, often offset by Sarah providing bacon sandwiches at the end !

Paul Woods has kindly agreed to take over the regular health and safety checks and to see what if any actions need to be taken as a result of this. The list which he compiled includes over 25 different actions. At the moment there is no one who has agreed to undertake any of the work in the absence of a leader.

This situation clearly cannot continue so we would be extremely grateful if all members would seriously consider two things:

Could I offer to take on the role of co-ordinating the small team of existing volunteers to ensure that the club is maintained safely and remains fit for purpose?

Could I offer to turn up on a few Sunday mornings(or other time to suit) to help in completing the necessary work?

Please take a moment to think about how much you value the club and what you get from it and see if YOU are able to help in any way. We will be extremely grateful. THANK YOU

2.Sponsorship

One of the key things that our club, along with many other tennis clubs is having to deal with, is a national decline in people playing tennis, especially in local community settings. This has a significant impact on our finances . To counter this we have agreed to explore other options for raising revenue through sponsorship deals. So if you have your own business or know someone who does we would like to offer you the opportunity to sponsor some elements of the club programme . Clearly this will provide you with an opportunity to publicise your business too!

If you are interested in this please email us and we will provide you with an outline document explaining what is available.

3.Giving

Yes , its that time of year again when we all rack our brains about what to buy, how much to spend, which charitable causes to support. Stop here!

Now that we have achieved charitable status we are able to claim gift aid against all donations. So if Southbourne Tennis Club is one of our favourite charities you know what to do. You might also consider regular giving on a monthly basis and or leaving a legacy in your will.

Our club works as well as it does through the ongoing commitment of you our members. Thank you for your part in it. We look forward to hearing from you.

Although not entirely Christmas related, I wanted to remind members that the 2019 Winter Box Leagues are now underway. The deadline for matches to be played is Sunday 29th December. Fixtures can be seen on the noticeboard at the Clubhouse. With any luck, the rain showers and strong winds won’t get in the way too much and all matches will be able to be completed on time! Let’s hope so!

With our adult members Christmas party now fast approaching….or to be more specific, with just over two weeks to go! I wanted to inform those, who will be attending, of a couple of last minute details ahead of showtime on Saturday December 7th.

Dress Code
I have been asked by one or two members if there will be a dress code for the evening. We have decided to keep it to smart/casual. However, should anyone feel that they would like to dress up a bit more formally, then of course that is absolutely fine. Whatever people feel most comfortable wearing really….within reason!!!!

Members are asked to arrive at the hotel as close to 7pm as possible, with the meal being served around 7.30pm. This will then be followed by the disco starting from 9pm and going through until midnight.

Parking

For those members driving to the event, parking is available at both the Cottonwood Hotel and the Ocean View Hotel, where the party is being held. PLEASE NOTE: Members are asked to register their car registration details at reception, when parking at either hotel, to avoid getting a parking ticket!

I have also been made aware that free parking is available after 5pm, along both Manor Road, which runs alongside the hotel, as well as on East Overcliff Drive, towards the front of the hotel.

If needed, full contact details for the Ocean View Hotel are as follows: East Overcliff Drive, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 3AR, Tel No. 01202 558057

We look forward to a great evening!

A big thank you to members for being so prompt with paying your deposits and securing your place for this year’s Christmas Party.

I am aware that some members have already chosen to pay the full amount in advance. However, for those that haven’t, final balances are now due.

We are requesting that members pay their remaining balances of £15.00 per person by bank transfer. Account details have been emailed.

Please be sure to put your name and ‘Christmas Party’ or something similar, as the reference, so we know who it’s from and what it’s for! Members who are not able to pay by bank transfer can still pay by cash in the same way deposits were paid.

CHANGE OF VENUE

A reminder to members, that due to the unprecedented number of people attending this year’s party, we have decided to switch venue from The Cottonwood Hotel, to its sister hotel next door, The Ocean View.

With the extra space now available by moving hotels, this has enabled us to provide a few extra places should people still wish to attend. We only have a limited number left, so please sign up now to avoid missing out!

ACCOMMODATION

Members who would like to book accommodation at the hotel, after their busy night of partying, can do so at a special discounted rate!

Any member booking a standard double room, including breakfast, can do so for £90.00. This includes a 10% discount. For an additional £20.00 members can upgrade to a sea view room.

Rooms are subject to availability and can be booked directly through the hotel. Please state that you are a Southbourne Tennis Club member at the time of booking.

For any queries concerning the Christmas Party, please contact me directly andrewking31@virginmedia.com

Following the hard work of the committee and club members, the club has now achieved charitable status. Our  Registered Charity Number is 1185919.

Despite this morning’s wet and windy weather, Finals Day will still be going ahead as planned, starting at 12 noon.

However, it’s possible matches may be delayed by a further 30 minutes, depending on the weather, although the forecast is meant to be improving as the day goes on!

Thank you to those members taking part for your patience and we look forward to seeing you at 12.00pm

A note to members taking part in tomorrow’s Club Championship Finals Day.

Due to the bad weather which is forecast for tomorrow morning, Finals Day will now commence at the later time of 12 noon.

The revised order of play can be seen below:

12 Noon

Ladies Singles Tier 1
Natalie Carter vs Emily Pardy

Mens Vets Singles Tier 1
Patrick Browne vs Nigel Carter

Ladies Vets Doubles Tier 1
Kirsty Holmes/Jo Jones vs Cleo Skilton/Carol Dickie

Ladies Vets Singles Tier 1
Rachel Best vs Lena Chavez

13.30PM

Mens Singles Tier 1
Patrick Browne vs John Stevens

Ladies Doubles Tier 1
Natalie Carter/Melanie Castagna vs Jo Jones/Kirsty Holmes

Mens Singles Tier 2
Paul Burton vs Andrew King

Ladies Singles Tier 2
Amanda Nagle vs Bryony Mcenery

15.00PM

Mens Vets Doubles Tier 1
Nigel Carter/Richard Henshaw vs Patrick Browne/Chris Stevens

Mens Doubles Tier 2
Paul Burton/Steve Pardy vs Spencer Bradbury/Daniel Light

Mixed Doubles Tier 1
John Stevens/Natalie Carter or Tom Birch/Emily Pardy vs Zoltan Horvath/Jo Jones

16.30PM

Mixed Doubles Tier 2
Andrew Mouzouri/Becky Redman vs Daniel Light/Amanda Nagle

Mens Doubles Tier 1
John Stevens/Richard Henshaw or Patrick Browne/Andy Redman vs Zoltan Horvath/Matt Sanger

Thank you for your co-operation. We will of course continue to keep member’s updated if the situation changes.

We are fast approaching the time for our next Annual General Meeting which will be held on Monday 14th October 2019.

A full agenda and a proxy form to allow you to vote even if you cannot attend the meeting will be up on the website shortly, however some things we will be covering include;
– An update on our application for charitable status
– The trend in membership numbers
– 2020/21 club fees

The AGM is the best opportunity for you to hear what progress the club has made and what we hope will be happening over the next year and beyond. It is also your opportunity to be heard and as a member we really appreciate your thoughts and energy to help make the club even better.

The club committee has undergone significant change over the last year, with four new members, so if you wish to meet them, and understand what they have to say, please come along.

As required by our revised Memorandum and Articles of association all of the club committee will be standing down at the AGM, however all of them will be standing for immediate re-election and this is an important procedural matter. This of course allows potential for anyone else who is interested in becoming involved, so please let myself or Susie Grainger know if you are interested in getting involved.

Lastly, we have a decent team of people who keep on top of maintenance around the club, however we have a burning need for someone to help co-ordinate this and if you are interested, please let us know.

We are delighted to announce further details regarding this year’s adult members Christmas Party.

Following my e-mail back in August, I can now confirm that our 2019 Christmas Party will take place at The Cottonwood Boutique Hotel, East Overcliff Drive, Bournemouth, on Saturday 7th December starting at 7pm.

For the price of just £30.00pp the evening will include: a four course festive meal, a glass of Prosecco on arrival, then dance the night away with a disco until midnight!

The menu options are:

STARTERS
Winter Vegetable Soup, served with Herb Croutons
Ham Hock and Sultana Terrine, served with Dressed Leaves and Piccalilli
Smoked Trout Fillet, served with Spicy Potato Salad and Pesto

MAIN COURSE
Roast Turkey Breast, served with Chipolata Bacon Roll, Roast Potato, Cranberry Stuffing and Gravy
Baked Salmon Fillet, served with Citrus Cream Sauce and Baby Potatoes
Goats Cheese, Onion & Chestnut Parcel, served with Balsamic Glaze and New Potatoes

DESSERT
Trio of Local Cheeses, served with Celery, Grapes and Biscuits
Traditional Christmas Pudding, served with Brandy Cream Sauce
Dark Chocolate Tart, served with Crème Anglaise

COFFEE
Served with Chocolate Mints

A copy of the menu, and menu pre-order form, can be found on the notice board at the Clubhouse.

To reserve your place, we are kindly asking members for a £15 deposit to be paid no later than Friday 4th October, with the remaining balance of £15 to be paid no later than Friday 1st November.

I would be grateful if members can pay their deposit at the same time as selecting their menu choices using the pre-order form. If I am not around to receive your payment, then please place your money in an envelope, in the Treasurers Box, marked up ‘Christmas Party’ and with your name on.

We look forward to seeing you there, for what promises to be a festive fun filled evening!

Celia Barron is holding a ladies Fun Tournament on Sunday 29th September, 2pm – 5pm. Entry costs just £5, with all proceeds being donated to Macmillan Cancer Care (our take on the Big Coffee Morning). Tea, scones and cake to follow!

So, if you want to enjoy a fun afternoon of tennis, support a very worthy cause and have an excuse to eat cake, then please sign up now! A sign-up sheet can be found on the noticeboard, inside the Clubhouse.

Help us to raise as much money as we can for this fantastic charity and support the great work they do.

First up, don’t forget we will be holding our summer beach party, this coming Friday 23rd August, at Fisherman’s Walk beach from 5.30pm. This is an open invitation for all members to attend, along with your friends, family and anyone else who wishes to enjoy an evening of summer sun…we hope! We are intending to meet close to Fisherman’s Walk zig-zag.

People are reminded that they are to bring with them, their own food, drink, bbq’s chairs/blankets etc and any beach games you may wish to play.

Of course this is very much weather dependent! In the event that we have to cancel our beach party, I will be sure to email everyone in good time on the day.

The good news is the medals are in. This can mean only one thing….it’s time for our regular Box League social! Yes indeed, our worthy winners and runners-up will be presented with their medals at our next Box League social evening. This will be held at The Ludo Lounge in Southbourne, on Thursday 29th August at 7pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

A note from Celia Barron our Match Secretary….

Are there any members out there who have never been asked to represent the Club in one of our teams, yet think they are strong enough to be considered?

If so, please make a point of making yourself known to either Celia or Dave Sanger (Head Coach) as soon as possible, as they are currently sorting out the teams for the winter season.

Our Summer Open Junior Tournament is now in full swing (no pun intended)!

As there will be no play taking place tomorrow, Tuesday 20th August, the Tuesday morning club play session will now go ahead as planned.

We thank you for your patience and understanding.

A reminder entry forms for this year’s Club Championships are now available from the club house.

The deadline for entries is Sunday 25th August, so please make sure you hand your completed entry form to one of the coaches or pop it in the post box when you’re next at the club. Best of luck to all members taking part!

Enjoy stepping back in time and reliving the sounds from years past, with an evening of music and dance! Whether it’s the “Old Tyme” music hall melodies, or you prefer the sounds of the 60s and 70s, then this event is for you!

Aidan Foy, one of our club members, is organising a “Vintage” Social Evening at Corpus Christi Church Hall on Saturday 24th August, starting at 7pm. Tickets cost just £10. Tony Patching, another of our members, will also be performing on the night.

To encourage as many of our members to attend and support this event, £4 from each ticket purchased by a member will be donated towards the amazing work the club does with our disability groups.

So get your family and friends together for a great night of musical entertainment. People are invited to bring along their own food and drink for the evening.

For further details and to purchase tickets, please call Aidan on 07775868253

Our thanks to Aidan for supporting the club in this way.

Entry forms for the Club Championships will be available from this Monday in the club house.

The entry deadline is 25 August so hand your form in to one of the coaches or pop it in the post box when you’re next at the club.

Best wishes and good luck!

As you are probably aware, we are hosting our annual Summer Open at the club week commencing Sunday 18 August.

Below are details of the times and dates when there will be reduced court availability due to the matches.

The referee will be releasing the courts during the day as the tournament progresses so keep an eye on the booking system for court availability if you wish to play.

SUN, 18th – 12 noon onwards (morning club session will take place as usual)

MON, 19th – FRI, 23rd – play commences at 9am

SAT, 24th – 9am start

A huge thank you to the volunteers who gave up their time to support both the second Nature Valley British Tennis weekend and the Littledown Family Fun Day. The main aim of taking part in these events was to attract new members so that we remain in a healthy financial situation and continue to improve the club .

More help is desperately needed in the following areas:

• fund raising energy ,expertise and enthusiasm
• fund raising ideas e.g. one off donations, annual giving as part of membership renewal, founders fundraising ball, £100 club, your ideas please
• maintenance – Peter Richardson is no longer able to co-ordinate this crucial element of the clubs’ responsibility. We need someone to take this on. There is a small team of volunteers who undertake the work but we need someone to oversee the work and ensure that the club is maintained to the high standards that we expect.
• Kitchen health and hygiene – another plea. Please ensure that you not only wash but also dry up and put away your used crockery. From time to time there are whole bowlfuls of washing up waiting to be done by the first person who arrives in the morning.