Frome Selwood Tennis Facilities Officially Unveiled

Tennis in Frome received a substantial boost today (18th July) after the new tennis facilities at Frome Selwood Tennis Club were unveiled thanks to a £37,000 grant from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), with support from Sport England.

To mark the unveiling, Somerset LTA Chairman Ken Johnson was joined by adult and junior members, guests, and the local community who were attending the Frome Festival event. The official opening was followed by the finals of the club's LTA Ratings Tournament.

The project was completed after Frome Selwood received the funding to renovate the three courts and install a new synthetic turf playing surface as well as the installation of new floodlighting system to improve the tennis offering and enhance access tennis opportunities for the local community.

Frome Selwood Tennis Club, which is a Clubmark club, received the £37,000 from the LTA to help improve playing opportunities for the local community, with the club contributing an additional £78,000. The funding from the LTA is part of the LTA’s drive to get more people – of all ages and abilities - playing the game.

Speaking at the opening, John Price, Chairman at Frome Selwood Tennis Club said:  “We were helped by many organisations, both local and national, but the most significant help came in the form of a generous grant from the LTA of £37,000 for new floodlighting. This was the final brick that enabled the project to be completed.
 
“The grant means that we now provide excellent facilities for the local community, and these will hopefully last for the next 10 to 12 years. This will enable us to build up our membership and also provide an excellent base for bringing on some tennis stars of the future.”

Richard Lewis, Sport England’s Chair, said:

"It's vital that public funding for sport goes into facilities that meet the highest standards, are welcoming, and cater for everyone. That's how we’re going to get more people using them every day. The new courts and floodlights at Frome Selwood Tennis Club will offer better playing facilities for its members and encourage more people from the local community to get involved in the sport."

Caroline Blincoe, LTA Head of Club and County Relations, said:

“Thanks to Sport England we were delighted to be able to provide Frome Selwood Tennis Club with this investment. Floodlights make a huge difference to the number of playing hours in winter, so are a priority as we work to boost regular participation in tennis. Improving and increasing facilities for the whole community is central to the LTA’s overarching plan for British Tennis as we work to increase the number of people playing tennis, keep people in the game and support talented players to achieve their potential.”
The funding has been provided as part of the LTA’s facilities strategy which has received substantial investment from Sport England. This makes an important contribution to the sport’s drive to increase the opportunities for people to participate, compete and get access to coaching at all levels of the game in communities nationwide.
The LTA makes financial support available through its resources and ensures investments will deliver the maximum return for British Tennis through more people playing and more hours on the court across Britain. There will be an increase in the number and standard of facilities nationwide which will be available to the whole community at a reasonable, affordable cost.