Elliswick LTC Newsletter – January 2024

Dear Members,

Welcome to our January Newsletter.  Apologise for the length of this newsletter, but we have many exciting news to share with you.  Firstly, we are pleased to announce that Jim McGown has been unanimously re-elected as the Club’s President by the Committee at the Board/Committee meeting which was held on Monday the 15th January 2024.

If you wish to read the minutes of the Board/Committee meeting, they are available on the notice board in the clubhouse. Any input would be gratefully received.

 

SAFEGUARDING

Our Welfare Officer, Andree Haxton, always tries to ensure that our club is a safe place to be for everyone (members and visitors), either to play tennis or to socialise.  If you have any concerns regarding safeguarding at the club, please do not hesitate to contact Andree in confidence on 07900006526 or contact the LTA at https://safeguardingconcern.lta.org.uk and contact the local authority children/adult services team. If the concern involves an immediate risk of harm, please call the police on 999.

During 2023, our club was subject to an Unannounced Health Check by the LTA and all of our safeguarding protocols were identified as being IN PLACE.

The LTA are evaluating the effectiveness of safeguarding measures in place at our club and the purpose of this survey is to seek your feedback. Your views and opinions are vitally important to achieving this. The LTA is administering this survey and will be collating the results. An anonymised summary of the results of the survey will be shared with the club. The survey will be open for a few weeks and will take around 5 minutes to complete. To access the survey, please use the following link:

Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

 

ELLISWICK HISTORY EVENING

We are oversubscribed for the history evening on 21st February. Therefore we are going to repeat this event on Wednesday 6th March at 7pm. Bar will be open from 6:45pm.  Places are limited to 70 people.  If you wish to attend, please sign up here (first come first served):
https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2FUtUcHmMSaxEwDLrz5&data=05%7C02%7C%7C26b1cdb713cc4da5bbb408dc1e6f1859%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638418709690085489%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=wdg4MqQBMwyLcKIgMdJ7S6frmK9JrNcC0aSWGZbB86s%3D&reserved=0

 

ELLISWICK CLOSED CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024 – SATURDAY 22nd JUNE 2024

Competition sign-up sheets go up 2nd February 2024
Closing date for entry 3rd  March 2024
Draw Published 8th  March 2024
Matches Start 9th  March 2024
Semi Finals matches to conclude by 18th  June 2024
Finals Day 22nd June 2024 back up 23rd  June 2024

All finalists must ensure that they can play on both dates.  If you have any queries regarding the Tournament or if you are unable to make it to the clubhouse to sign up then please email [email protected].

 

PHOTOGRAPHER NEEDED

We are 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.

 

FOOD AT THE CLUBHOUSE

Please do not leave any leftover food in the clubhouse or in the fridges.  We have a food inspector coming to visit us on Wednesday the 7th February, please ensure that the fridges, counters and cupboards are clear of any expired or smelly food/drinks.

 

MEMBERSHIPS

A big thank you to everyone who has paid their renewal fees promptly, and to those who have persevered through a few teething problems with our move to Clubsparks. Please rest assured that we are convinced the new membership system will be straightforward, and save us all (but especially the Committee) lots of time in the future.

On Thursday 1st February, the fees will go up to reflect the removal of the 5% prompt payment discount. In any case, if you haven’t already done so, please pay your fee by Feb 29th.

From 1st March, any unpaid places will be offered to some of the 260 people on our waiting list.

As always, please contact Sally Radcliffe with any membership issues at [email protected]

 

CLUBHOUSE & GROUNDS

A new electricity meter is being installed on the morning of Monday 5th February. The power will be switched off for around half an hour while it is being connected.

 

TEAM TENNIS

All winter matches are currently underway. We are now looking forward to the summer leagues matches (Datchworth, Hot Rackets, Herts League and Herts National League). If you would like to play in a team, please do not hesitate to register your interest by contacting our Captains as follows:

MEN’S CAPTAIN : Jem Collier-Garrity at [email protected]

LADIES CAPTAIN : Kate Curson at [email protected]

MIXED TEAM CAPTAIN : Amy Martin at  [email protected]

MIXED FRIENDLIES : Andree Haxton at [email protected]

JUNIORS : Marc Stacey at [email protected]

 

The ‘Team Practices’ have been arranged and will be led by Ben Wood & Rupert Tillbrooke on the following dates:

Team Order
Ladies 1&2 Ladies 3&4 Men 1&2&3 Men 4&5
3rd March 13:00-14:30 10:00 – 11:30 14:30 – 16:00 11:30 – 13:00
10th March 14:30-16:00 11:30 – 13:00 13:00-14:30 10:00 – 11:30
17th March 13:00-14:30 10:00 – 11:30 14:30 – 16:00 11:30 – 13:00

 

Captains will be in touch with their squads and slots will be allocated for all individuals as court space is limited.

Mixed Team Tennis 

The Autumn Datchworth League has exceptionally successful for us, with the 1st team staying in the top division and promotion for the other three teams. Please see results below:

ELTC TEAMS DIVISIONS CAPTAINS POSITIONS
1ST 1 AMY MARTIN 2ND
2ND 3 TONY WARD 1ST
3RD 5 JEM COLLIER-GARRITY 2ND
4TH 8 STEPH LAUGHREY 1ST

 

BANK HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT 2024

This tournament is organised for Intermediate 16+ up to senior players and is a great way to meet and play with new people and have some fun! For more information, please contact our BHT Organisers, Jem Collier-Garrity at [email protected] or Jane and Justin Bisseker at [email protected]

Dates for the Bank Holiday Tournaments held in 2024 are as follows:

  • Monday 1st April – Easter Monday
  • Monday 27th May – Spring Bank Holiday
  • Monday 26th August – Summer Bank Holiday
  • Friday 27th December – Christmas Bank Holiday Tournament (tbc).

 

SOCIALS

We started the year with a Pub night out on the 18th January.  We also had a successful jazz jam on the 25th January.

6 Nations Rugby 2024

Dugie Carlean has very kindly offered to show the 6 Nations Rugby at the club on our NEW TV.  The first of these matches we are screening is on Friday the 2nd February France v Ireland. Kick off at 8pm. The Bar will be open. For more information, please contact Dugie Carlean at [email protected].

Events in February

  • Saturday 10th– Out of The Blue – Ross and Vicky Live Music event playing hits from the 70s, 80s and the 90s! Get your dancing shoes ready and sign up here: https://forms.gle/C8vNmNAJkTNcJSXCA
  • Wednesday 21st– Club History Evening run by David Kendall.  This event is now fully booked however we have laid on an additional history evening on Wednesday 6th March.  Sign up for the remaining spaces here: https://forms.gle/6j9bYKDRWGwxnK54A
  • Thursday 29th– Dire Straits Tribute at the Eric Morecambe Theatre – this event is fully booked

 

Events in March

  • 6th– Club History Evening

Sign up here: https://forms.gle/6j9bYKDRWGwxnK54A

  • 16th– Wine Tasting Evening by Barrie & Alison

Sign up here:  https://forms.gle/dm7dimkzhyZZMj2EA

  • 20th– HMTC Sweeney Todd
  • 26th– Men’s Nights begin
  • 27th– Ladies Nights begin
  • 28th– Club Nights begin

 

Supper Nights – Every Thursday evenings, once a month, starting on Thursday 18th April to 12th September.

We are looking for members who are interested in cooking for our famous supper nights.  The dates are as follows: 18th April, 16th May (already been reserved for the infamous ‘MEXICAN NIGHT’), 13th June, 18th July, 15th August and 12th September.  These dates can be altered to suit but obviously need to be on a Thursday evening after club mix-in night.

Any queries regarding any of our social events, please contact our Social Secretary, Jane Bisseker at [email protected]

 

JUNIORS

2024 JUNIOR TOURNAMENT – SUNDAY 15th SEPTEMBER 2024 with reserve date of Sunday 22nd September. Our Junior Secretary, Marc Stacey, will liaise entry to competition games with the Junior Captains of each age group, in conjunction with Ben Wood who allocates the teams.  We will need volunteers to help out in the kitchen and on courts on the day.

 

THE FRIDAY JUNIOR NIGHTS WILL RECOMMENCE ON FRIDAY THE 19TH APRIL

These popular evenings are organised and run by one of our coaches and are aimed at mixing players of all abilities and ages. This is an informal session encompassing a range of fun games and activities for our junior members and free social play. Sessions are as follows:

4:30pm to 6pm for Primary School age (must have a parent present for supervision)

6pm to 8pm for Secondary School age (an adult volunteer needed each week to supervise).

 

We are looking for volunteers for the Rota with the 6-8pm shift. The Junior Nights will not go ahead if we don’t have enough volunteers to supervise our Juniors. Please email Marc Stacey if you are able to help.

 

The very popular tuck shop is usually run by one of our Junior Members who is raising money, with hotdogs, sweets and homemade cakes for the kids and open bar for parents which add to the relaxed atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. We are looking for volunteers to run the Tuck shop and the bar on Junior nights. Please email Marc Stacey if you are able to help.

 

PICKLEBALL

As the sport is growing quickly in popularity, the Committee has decided to introduce pickleball to our Club. We do not have a regulation court facility but we have laid pickleball court lines on the mini/practice court. We have purchased a portable net, some paddles and some balls for members to use. The equipment and court aren’t suitable for proper competition (ie matches) but are adequate for those who may wish to get an introduction to pickleball. We will locate the equipment in a storage box alongside the mini/practice court within the next week.

Please note that the mini/practice court is booked using the Clubspark booking system, in the same way that the tennis courts are booked. On the app/website it is listed as “Mini court 1”, just to the right of court 7.

For those who haven’t played the sport, our very own Philip Cohen (pickleballer extraordinaire) has offered to run a session for members in order to explain the basics of pickleball (rules, scoring, differences to tennis, etc.). After a very brief chat, he will demonstrate the sport with Tony Ward (pickleball rising star) and others in an exhibition session. This session will be organised shortly, but will be weather dependent. If you would like to come along, please email [email protected] to register your interest and the timing will be communicated to you.

We hope that interested members can enjoy having a go at this up-and-coming sport at Elliswick LTC.

 

PHYSIOTHERAPY

We now have a deal with Harpenden Physiotheraphy and Osteopathic Clinic (HPO). All members will now enjoy 10% off any treatment sessions. You might even be looked after by Andy Murray’s previous physiotherapist!

 

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.