Partnerships
At Purley Bury Tennis Club in Croydon
with delivery partners – MDL Coaching, Panathlon Challenge, Louise Hunt
and host partners – Bensham Manor School and Addington Valley Academy
The Tim Henman Foundation has a place-based approach where we form relationships with partners to deliver programmes which are embedded into communities of high deprivation.
The THF has been funding inclusive tennis sessions at Purley Bury Tennis Club for two Croydon special schools, Addington Valley Academy and Bensham Manor, since September 2024, where the pupils have been enjoying weekly tennis sessions with Mark and Danielle from MDL Coaching. THF’s funding has also helped Mark and his team run two disability tennis sessions at the club on Friday evenings. Mark and Danielle have noticed the huge improvement in tennis skills and coordination, and the resulting confidence that the pupils have shown by their commitment to the regular sessions. Feedback from teachers showed that their pupils love coming to the club sessions, which can be demonstrated by some of the pupils’ comments: ‘Yes I like the lessons’, ‘The tennis lessons are good’ and ‘I’ve improved and I like rallies the best and volleys with the balls’.
On a lovely sunny Friday in May 2025, THF came together with its partners at the tennis club to run a mentoring and inclusive sports event for pupils from both schools. Joining us was ex-Paralympic wheelchair tennis player turned mentor and ambassador Louise Hunt, who delivered an inspiring and engaging mentoring session to pupils, and Mark Bullock from Panathlon Challenge, a charity delivering inclusive sports days to around 64,000 SEND youngsters annually across the country. Helping on the day was an energetic and helpful cohort of keen club volunteers who manned the various Panathlon stations and helped the pupils navigate their way around the activities.
Central to the day was the desire for all pupils to have a memorable time experiencing different activities, and for THF and its partners in the programme to come together and enjoy this shared experience. Louise Hunt has been working with the THF for the past two years delivering mentoring workshops and assemblies to pupils at primary and secondary mainstream and special schools. The pupils really engaged with her, which was demonstrated in the numerous questions they asked her both during and after her session! Panathlon Challenge has been working with THF for the past few years delivering bespoke inclusive sports days to pupils at special needs schools, tailored to pupils’ individual needs and capabilities. All pupils thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the various activities on offer and were hugely proud to be awarded their very own Panathlon medals at the end of the day.