March 2025
Hi All,
I am delighted to announce some exciting new offers that include Grants and Interest Free Loans as well as other initiatives. We would urge all our Clubs to take advantage of these offers particularly those wishing to develop their facilities. Details are as follows:
GRANTS
Grants are often a scarce commodity but from time to time, Yorkshire Tennis can offer Associate Member Clubs the opportunity of a Grant. That time has arrived, and we are therefore delighted to announce the creation of two separate funding pots with one aimed at small grants up to £1000 and which is available for a wide variety of purposes. The other grant is up to £3000 and is aimed at projects and initiatives that have inclusivity at their core. Further details will follow so please look out for the offer.
To be eligible for a Grant, Clubs must be Associate Members of Yorkshire Tennis. We have around 145 Associate Members with a few Clubs yet to join and therefore we would urge any Club yet to become an Associate Member to do so otherwise they will not be eligible to apply. Applications are made online via our website and Clubs applying will in addition receive a £150 welcome Grant. Don’t miss out so please apply NOW.
INTEREST FREE LOANS
As you know the Advantage Yorkshire Scheme offers Associate Member Clubs access to interest free loans up to £25,000 to help with Club development projects. Applications can be made at any time though applications received are considered twice a year at the end of April and end of October so if you are planning to apply, please bear this in mind. Details of the scheme can be found on our website.
FREE TENNIS BALLS
We are delighted to have Dunlop as our Official Ball Supplier and as such the Dunlop ball is the recommended ball for ALL Dunlop Yorkshire Doubles League matches. In recognition of this we will reimburse competing Clubs the cost of Dunlop Balls used for their home Dunlop Yorkshire Doubles League matches. Details of the scheme can be found on our website. We want more Clubs to join the Dunlop Yorkshire Doubles League and therefore any Clubs thinking of joining may wish to consider the offer of FREE BALLS.
YORKSHIRE PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CENTRES
We are aiming to designate up to eight Yorkshire Player Development Centres (YPDCs) who will receive financial support based on incentives linked to Key Performance Indicators. We want YPDCs to be exemplar Clubs and to work with Yorkshire Tennis to help produce junior players who compete regularly in County and National competitions, who represent Yorkshire in the County Cup and who progress to our Regional Performance Development Centre. We already have Clubs who are delivering many of these things, but we need more, and this initiative aims to do that.
CLUB ENGAGEMENT
Alison Steel is our Club Engagement Lead and will be the focal point for any queries you may have. Alison has a wealth of experience as a Tennis Administrator and Volunteer and will reply to you herself or if necessary, will escalate your query to a member of our team who will have the relevant knowledge to reply. We stand ready to help and invite any Club who has a query or requires information to direct their query via our website “contact us” tab. We look forward to hearing from you.
CLUB WEBINARS
Yorkshire Tennis are throughout the year planning to organise Club Webinars on subjects such as Club Funding, Performance, Competition, Coaching, Safeguarding etc. We will publicise the Webinars and would urge Clubs interested in specific topics to join. We look forward to meeting and engaging with you on these Webinars.
NEW CHAIR
On a final note, you may be aware that Steve Jones has recently stepped down as Chair of Yorkshire Tennis and which is why as Interim Chair, I am writing this Newsletter. Steve has worked incredibly hard for Yorkshire Tennis, and I am sure you will all join me in thanking him for his contribution as a valued volunteer.
Anyone interested in this role please visit our website where the role will shortly be advertised. I am of course happy to chat with anyone who may be interested, and my contact details are on the website.
I do hope you will take advantage of all that Yorkshire Tennis has to offer and I wish you all the very best for a fantastic season.
Chris Day
Interim Chair Yorkshire Tennis
