Welcome to our first monthly newsletter of 2024.  

Did you know this is our 36th edition?  We started doing these following some feedback about club comms at the 2021 AGM.  Hopefully we’re keeping you informed about all the need-to-know stuff that happens at our club, and we’re doing so in a manner that is at least moderately interesting!  Who knew there was something new to say each month!

Our focus at the moment is this year’s AGM, happening in a few days time on Monday 5th February at 7.15pm for a prompt 7.30pm start in the club lounge.

Briefing papers have been issued, a slide deck is nearly ready, and a couple of us are rehearsing our words for the evening.  We’ll be good to go!  We hope to see plenty of you there, to find our more about the operations of your club and our plans for the year ahead.

In fact, as an aperitif, in the ‘Spotlight on…’ section below, we’ve given a high level overview of some of the key components of our membership, income, and costs, and their breakdown between our two playing sections.

Tennis

As you are aware, the playing surface on courts 10-12 is at end-of-life, with 10 and 12 particularly threadbare and treacherous, and the floodlights are decades old, providing poor quality illumination in the evening.

Refurbishment and upgrade of the courts was agreed by members in October, planning permission approval was granted earlier this month, and work is scheduled to start in 7 weeks’ time, with a planned 8 weeks’ duration.

Please bear with us during the upheaval period; the playing surfaces and lighting on all courts will be fantastic once completed.

Look out for the imminent launch of the annual club tournament.  We are starting earlier this year, to get the 1st rounds played before work commences, and then resume proceedings once all courts are back in use.

Squash and Racketball

The squash and racketball club tournaments are GO!

Draws were published last week and Finals Day is Saturday 27th April.  Put it in your diary - even if you don’t make it through to one of the finals, it will be a great afternoon at the club for all the family.

Social

Elvis is in the house on Friday and it will be a great night!

Speak to Claire or Graham if you want to pick up the last few remaining tickets.

Spotlight on…

… the key numbers behind the two playing sections of our club.

Although we publish our annual accounts on the website, they’re a consolidated summary of our financials.  So we thought this month, with the AGM just a few days away, we’d peel back a layer or two and give you more of an insight into the make-up of the club - details can be found on member emails sent 29th January.

That’s all for now, until next month.  See some of you on Monday!

Club Council

(John Shaw, Michael Beavis, Phil Trimmer, Matt Markwort, Tracey Mackey, Mark Shattock)