This is the first of what will be a monthly email Newsletter. The squash/squash57 section have had one for the past 12 months or so, and we’re now broadening that to all members. We’ll trial it for a few months and see if you like it. 

We’ll use headings, so you can skip to the parts you’re interested in, if you wish. But we’ll try and keep everything succinct, informative, and (if we can) entertaining, to encourage you to read all of it! 

We won’t tie ourselves to a regular day in the month for them; we’ll try to time them for when there is something to say. For example, next month’s will probably be around mid-March when we re-open the court booking system in readiness for the return of tennis.

And we’re always open to feedback so, if there’s anything you’d like to hear more about (or less about!), just let us know.

We will, of course, continue to publish news to the club’s Facebook account (https://www.facebook.com/bltsrc/) and the squash section are very active on Twitter (https://mobile.twitter.com/BerkoSquashRbll).

Mike and Dave

We have received hundreds of complimentary messages for the brilliant, unstinting, voluntary work that Mike and Dave performed for the club over many years. Thank you for your emails; we have responded to all of them and we have passed them on so that they are aware of the tremendous support for the many things they achieved and led. 

Introducing John (Club Chairman) and Matt (Tennis Chairman)

John joined the club 17 years ago when he moved to Berkhamsted. He had previously been a long-standing member of Hazelwood LT&SRC in Enfield. He is married to Annette, also a club member. Their daughter, Katie, was a keen swimmer as a youngster and John is a previous chairman of Berkhamsted Swimming Club. John succeeded Mark Shattock as Chair of our squash and squash57 section a couple of years ago after retiring and having the time to support the club he loves. He had spent the latter part of his career as a Programme Director for Barclays PLC, delivering large-scale projects for their Retail Banking and IT Divisions. John plays at the club most days (when we’re open!) and is well known to many of you.

Matt joined the club as a 3-year old back in 1978 and after a short break for University and running coaching programmes at other local clubs he rejoined 15 years ago. Since then he has been a big part of the tennis section and, for the last 4 years, has been running the social section and has been part of the Club Council. Matt’s essential knowledge of how clubs run, his experience in tennis teams and coaching, and the fact that he has run his own business for the last 17 years, means he will bring the experience required to lead the tennis section.

Return of tennis

We’re sure you have all read the reports of yesterday’s announcement from the Government. Outdoor tennis returns on Monday 29th March! Singles and doubles, individual and group coaching, and matches once the leagues have started again. Here’s a link to the LTA announcement https://www.lta.org.uk/about-us/tennis-news/news-and-opinion/general-news/2020/march/coronavirus-covid-19---latest-advice/

It looks like we’ll also be allowed to open the clubhouse for access to the toilets, but the changing rooms and showers will not be available (other than for a few elite tennis and squash players who train at our club and have been signed-off by the LTA and England Squash).

All the now standard hygiene protocols will be in place once more, to ensure a safe environment.

We are also investigating a couple of refinements to the court booking system, in line with feedback from members, to see if we can organise a software update release before then.

We will give more information in next month’s Newsletter.

Return of squash/squash57 and the fitness suite

Step 2 on 12th April isn’t so well defined at the moment, and we’re awaiting an announcement from England Squash on the playing protocols that will be in place at the outset.

But it looks like junior squash, solo and same household play will be back from then, and possibly ’sides’ and socially distanced drills.

Also on 12th April, we’ll be able to re-open the fitness suite to all members of that facility (there are already some exceptions for elite athletes), and we’ll potentially be able to open the bar to serve food and drink outside on the club terrace. 

We are just a month away from re-opening the club! Start/continue training to be ready - we can’t wait to see you back down here!  

Club Council

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