Opening Up Tennis in South Wales Coalfield Communities
Supported by the LTA Tennis Foundation and delivered in partnership with Tennis Wales, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust’s Game On Active programme is bringing free and accessible tennis to former coalfield communities across South Wales.
Approaching the five-month mark, the project has activated 10 park and community venues and engaged 692 individual participants, with 260 completing at least six weeks of activity. All venues are located in communities ranked among the 20% most deprived areas in Wales.
The project is also introducing tennis to new audiences. A further 716 children and young people have been given the opportunity to try tennis through adding tennis activities to wider multi-sport festivals.
Maesteg Welfare Park demonstrates how an initial introduction can develop into regular participation. Following a successful Barclays Big Tennis Weekend, free community tennis is now available twice a week, giving local children and families regular opportunities to keep playing.
The project is also supporting the grassroots game. Four local tennis clubs have received kit grants worth £3,000, while participants are signposted to local clubs and more regular coaching opportunities where appropriate.
The approach is simple: give people the opportunity to try tennis, provide accessible ways to keep playing and create pathways into grassroots tennis for those who want to take the next step.
Less than five months into the project, the early impact demonstrates the appetite for accessible tennis within South Wales coalfield communities – and this is just the beginning.
