Elliswick LTC Newsletter – February 2024
Welcome to our February Newsletter.
CLUB TOURNAMENT – CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES SUNDAY 3RD MARCH 2024
The sign-up sheets for each category are available on the notice board in the clubhouse for those members wishing to enter. If you are unable to sign up at the clubhouse, please send an email to our Tournament Secretary, Louise Behan at [email protected]. The closing date for entries is Sunday 3rd March 2024. Please make sure that you sign up by this date as late entries will not be accepted.
The draw will be published on 8th March 2024 with the commencement of matches from 9th March 2024.
CLUB CENTENARY: Following our successful history night on 21 February (to be reprised on 6 March), the next event to mark the Club’s 100 years will be the Elliswick Centenary Celebration for young and old on Saturday 8 June.
MEMBERSHIP: The 2 month renewal period ends today, Thursday, 29th February. All spare places will now be offered out to some of the 270 people on the waiting list, in strict chronological order. If you have any queries regarding membership, please contact our Memberships Secretary, Sally Radcliffe at [email protected]
BALL DRYING RACK: You may have noticed a new ball rack inside the entrance of the clubhouse (above the dryer and below the ball shelf). One of our members, Ben Dearman, kindly built and installed this rack for us. It is meant for drying wet tennis balls overnight. If you come off court with damp tennis balls, please do not leave them in tubes or tins but rather put them in the rack to enable them to dry better. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
SUMMER CLUB NIGHTS: The summer season will effectively start on the Tuesday the 26th March 2024 when we hold our first Club night. Midweek evening tennis is played from 6pm until we can no longer see the ball, every Tuesday (Men’s Night) just turn up and play, Wednesday (Ladies) organised by Victoria please contact Victoria on 07429581034 or [email protected] and Thursday (Mixed) run by Rupert. Players of all standards are very welcome to join in.
CLUBHOUSE AND GROUNDS: Monday 11th March – The power will be cut off for around half an hour in the morning while the rescheduled Smart meter installation takes place.
PICKLEBALL: The pickleball equipment was purchased and made available to members last month. The equipment is located in a storage box adjacent to the mini court. Members are free to use it but must set up the net and take it down after each session, returning it to the box. A laminated instruction sheet for the net assembly has been placed in the storage box.
As mentioned in the previous newsletter, Philip Cohen and Tony Ward will run a session for members in order to explain the basics of pickleball (rules, scoring, differences to tennis, etc.). After a very brief chat, they will demonstrate the sport in an exhibition session. The session will take place on March 24th from 14:00-15:30h.
TEAM TENNIS: All the winter matches are still progressing. We are looking forward to the summer matches. We have many opportunities for members to participate in team tennis in the summer months. If you would like to play in a team, please do not hesitate to register your interest by contacting our respective captains as follows:
Mens Captain: Jem Collier-Garrity – [email protected]
Ladies Captain: Kate Curson – [email protected]
Mixed Captain: Amy Martin – [email protected]
Ladies Friendlies: Lynn Frankling – [email protected]
Mixed Friendlies: Andree Haxton – [email protected]
Juniors Secretary: Marc Stacey at [email protected]
Please note that all members playing in Elliswick teams have to be LTA members – Please register with LTA. Go to www.lta.org.uk/membership – Click Join as a Team Member
SOCIALS: February was a busy month. We had a fabulous fun night at Ross and Tim’s Live Music event, members sang and danced the night away! Our thanks go to Ross and to Tim who kindly stepped in to accompany Ross at the last minute.
Our Club History Evening run by David Kendall was a great success, around 70 members attended the event. For those who missed it there is another chance to attend our history evening on the 6th March. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/VuCWm5wthDwNTYY88
PLEASE MAKE A NOTE IN YOUR DIARIES FOR OUR TWO BIG EVENTS TO MARK OUR CENTENARY YEAR
- 8TH JUNE: CLUB CENTENARY DAY – This will be a day for all the family
- 5TH OCTOBER: CENTENARY DINNER DANCE AT THE HARPENDEN COMMON GOLF CLUB
Dates for your diary:
| MARCH | APRIL | MAY | ||||
| · 6th – Club History Evening Sign up here:
https://forms.gle/6j9bYKDRWGwxnK54A · 16th – Wine Tasting Evening by Barrie & Alison – FULLY BOOKED · 20th – HMTC Sweeney Todd sign up here: https://forms.gle/8UgZNkMJNJpyb5ws6 · 26th – Men’s Nights begin · 27th – Ladies Nights begin · 28th – Club Nights begin
|
· 1st – Bank Holiday Tournament. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/e9rUV1jXznBRijKj9
· 18th – Supper Night (Iranian theme) Sign up here: https://forms.gle/aTY2x3tGm2d7CZw38
· 19th – Junior Night begins
|
· 14th – Mens Beer & Curry Night
· 16th – Supper Night (Mexican theme)
· 18th – New Members Day (Reserve date: 19th May)
· 22nd – Ladies Fizz Night
· 27th – Spring Bank Holiday Tournament |
||||
Saturday 13th April – Charity Concert with Pam Rhodes (BBC Presenter) & Upbeat Choir (Tim Sutton & the Gang) at St Helen’s Church, Wheathampstead at 7pm. Entry is free, but a collection will be taken at the end of the evening to support Azalea, a church charity partner.
Thursday, 6th June – Sally Radcliffe is organising an Elliswick Outing to Stratford Upon Avon to see The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, with music composed by our very own Tim Sutton. Elliswick member Richard Cooke has kindly volunteered to drive us there in the Hopper Bus. Departing from Elliswick at 2 pm, to have approximately 3 hours free time in Stratford before the show at 7.15. Returning to Elliswick by about midnight. Cost of £55 per head includes a premium stall seat and the return minibus fare. Please book straight away, as this trip is likely to be very popular. If you would like to go to the play, but prefer to organise your own transport, let Sally Radcliffe know at [email protected] (07966 890992) and she should be able to purchase further tickets for £40 per head.
Supper Nights
We are looking for some members to cook at our most popular Thursday night suppers on the following dates:
June 15th, July 18th and August 8th.
If you have any queries regarding our Social events, please contact our Super Social Secretary, “Super Jane” Bisseker at [email protected].
JUNIORS
Herts National League
This year we have entered 3 teams in the above league. Teams are as follows:
U12 Boys – Captain Nathalie Aubry
U14 Boys – Captain David Brocklebank
U16 Boys – Captain Melissa Sweeney
If your juniors wish to play in teams, please contact our Juniors Secretary: Marc Stacey at [email protected]
FRIDAY 19TH APRIL – THE START OF THE JUNIOR NIGHTS – FREE TO JUNIOR MEMBERS
These are run by our wonderful coaches and we would love to see as many juniors as possible attending the Junior Nights and having a lot of fun.
- 4:30pm to 6pmfor Primary School age (must have a parent present for supervision)
- 6pm to 8pmfor Secondary School age (an adult volunteer needed each week to supervise).
The bar will be open (we need a volunteer to run it) for the adults and hopefully it will be the start of many Friday evenings of basking in the sunshine.
SUNDAY 15th SEPTEMBER – JUNIOR TOURNAMENT
With reserve date of Sunday 22nd September. Please reserve in your diary – details will follow nearer to the time.
OTHER NEWS
PHOTOGRAPHER NEEDED
We are still looking for a volunteer to take photos on the Finals Day. Please let Andree Haxton know at [email protected] if you are able to help.
CHARITY
One of our members, David Cowan is conducting a Charity Easter Egg Raffle at Elliswick for The Harpenden Lions Club CIO, in support of the charity Guide Dogs for the Blind. The egg is 1kg Belgian chocolate. Each numbered ticket costs £1, cash or card (via QR code). The Easter Egg will be available from Saturday 9th March. Please look out for the poster and ticket sheet in the clubhouse.
Kind Regards
Elliswick LTC Committee
PS, Don’t forget to keep up to date with events at our website http://www.elliswickltc.co.uk and follow our Facebook page as well.