29 January 2020
“This has just been the most amazing experience for me. I was appointed tennis coach at Ackworth School over a year ago now. Thanks to the support I have had from the Ackworth School, Ackworth Tennis Club and particularly The Tim Henman Foundation I have been privileged to be able to encourage thousands of young people to pick up a tennis racquet – many of whom would never have dreamt that they would have had this opportunity. I am indebted to Yorkshire LTA and to the wonderful welcome I have received as consequence of being part of this great school.”
Alice Smith Tennis Coach at Ackworth School
The Tim Henman Foundation supported Community Tennis Programme hosted by Ackworth School, Near Pontefract, has been recognised as a result of the efforts of the Coach and the Club Chairman.
Through the leadership and support offered by Ackworth School, The Tim Henman Foundation and BECSLink, Don Saul (Ackworth Tennis Club Chairman) and Alice Smith (Ackworth School’s Tim Henman Foundation funded coach) a community tennis programme has been launched using school facilities to harnesses emerging talent at the Club with emerging talent from local schools.
Ackworth School runs a number of significant community outreach programmes and these impact on the lives of students, teachers and parents. The growth in tennis participation has been staggering
- Club Membership: from 17 in May 2018, to 136 in December 2019
- Teachers from Grove Lea Primary, St Helens CE Primary School, South Kirkby Academy, St Benedict’s Catholic Primary; and St John the Baptist Catholic Primary have been up-skilled.
- 17 schools
- 2,040 students
Plans for the future include:
- Improved Club Facilities
- Improved Tennis Facilities including floodlights
- A partnership with a GP Surgery ‘College Lane’ with ‘prescribed’ tennis being part of a plan to help improve physical and/or mental health and well-being.