Birstwith Tennis Club
2008 Season:
Welcome to a new tennis season at Birstwith & to your Newsletter. Please keep it safe as it gives important details of the tennis year at Birstwith, together with contact details of committee members and others that may be useful to you during the coming season.
You will need a new key:
The padlocks on Birstwith courts this year will be changed on Tues 1st April 2008. New keys need to be ordered from the treasurer & cost £3 each, as previously, however, if you return last year's with your subs the new key(s) will be supplied free in return.
Social Tennis at Birstwith
A Tennis Club Social Afternoon is planned for Sunday 13th April, commencing at 1.00pm with a "court & pavilion spring cleaning", play at 2.00pm. There is also an end of season social Afternoon scheduled for Sunday 7th September at 2.00pm, again with a court cleaning prior to this at 1.00pm - see Court Maintenance.
Club Nights:
Club Nights are very much what we, the members make of them, so phone round a few people to guarantee a game or drop in for a quick hit or as long as you are able to play.
Commencing Sun 13th April, 2007 Thursdays - 6.00 p.m. Sundays - 5.00 p.m.
Tennis Coaching:
Encouraging children to play the game is of great importance & the good news is that Sophie Jacob will resume weekly coaching sessions for juniors (up to age 14) of all abilities, starting with a programme over the Easter hols. She will be at the courts at 11am . Fri 4th April & invites any child interested in tennis to come along (only £3.00 per child, £4 for non-members).
£4 non-members). She would also be delighted to coach adults (members only) one-to-one, or a regular group of 3-4 during the day, or indeed anyone who, as she puts it "would just like to have a good hit!" on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.
For those of you not familiar with Sophie, she is an old friend of the Club & for a number of years coached the juniors. She is very well known in the Harrogate League as a fine tennis & squash player & coach, winning the Harrogate Tournament on numerous occasions.
Contact Sophie direct: Tel. 520413 (ev. only) Mobile 07724 110551 for more detail & check the noticeboard.
Harrogate & District League -Mixed Doubles
Team Results 2007 :Many thanks to the captains of both the 1st & 2nd teams, Paul Stephenson & Peter Turton respectively. The first team remains in the 5th division and the second team will again play in the 7th. Matches start again on Tuesday 6th May 2008. Home night is again Tuesday.
If you are interested in playing in a team, please indicate on your Membership Application form.
Teams 2008:
1st Team: 5th Division 2nd Team: 7th Division Home night for both is again Tuesday, unless notice board states otherwise.
Match fees of £2.00 (£1.50 for under 18s).
Court Maintenance:
The pavilion is a landmark structure in the village and is now over 75 years old. It has reached the stage of "patching a patch". Its stability is not helped by the mature ash tree to the rear. Permission has finally been granted by the land owner to remove said tree and it was decided at the AGM to replace the pavilion prior to the start of the 2009 season.
Court Cleaning
To remind one-and-all that court cleaning is set for Sunday 13th April and Sunday 7th September at 1pm. This takes takes only an hour if many willing hands equipped with tools turn up, otherwise, it is left to the hardcore faithful each year!
Ripley Court
This court is leased from Sir Thomas Ingilby and we continue to be grateful to the staff at the Boar's Head Hotel (Tel. 771888) for operating an efficient booking system. Please note that the court is to be booked for no longer than one hour on any one occasion & no more than 8 days in advance. The key to the court is available from the reception at the Boar's Head Hotel & the management have kindly agreed that members may use the hotel's bar toilets.
Car Parking:
The mill continues to permit members to use its car park (opposite The Moss Drive) outside of office hours. During the summer season Mr. David Gaunt very kindly gives permission for those members playing prior to 5.30 p.m. on weekdays to park on the left-hand verge of The Moss Drive. Please do park close to the fence, to allow other vehicles to pass easily. Never park on the road or indeed the footpath next to the courts as the Parish Council has stated that this is extremely hazardous.
Committee Members:
At the Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday 17th January, 2008, the following were elected as Birstwith Tennis Club committee members:-
Chairman: James Aykroyd Tel: 772454 Treasurer & Subscriptions: Carolyn Bury Tel: 770371 Secretary: Caroline Smith Tel:771272
Social Secretary: Ann Welch Tel: 521642 First Team Captain: Paul Stephenson Tel: 872498 Second Team Captain: Peter Turton Tel: 770712
Next Year's AGM
Next year's AGM will be held at The Old Smithy, Clint Bank, Clint, Nr. Birstwith at 7p.m. Monday 19th January 2009. Do please make an effort to attend, this is the ideal opportunity to make constructive comments and put forward new ideas to improve your tennis club.
2007 Subscriptions:
New subscriptions technically fall due on 1st April, and new keys will be issued on that date. A discount will continue to be effective for those members paying before 30th April, 2008.
Adults: £55 (£50 if paid by 30th April) Family: £120 2 adults & 2 children under 14 (£100 if paid by 30th April)
Student: £35 15-20 years & in full time study (£30 if paid by 30th April)
Juniors: £20 14 years & under (£15 if paid by 30th April)
Visitors: £2.00 Visitors are most welcome at the club but only when playing with existing members and may play up to three times in the season, after which they must pay a membership fee. Visitors' fees should preferably be paid before playing to Carolyn Bury. However, if you know of any outstanding visitor fees, please be encouraged to enclose these with your 2008 subscription when returning the 'Membership Application' attached.
Responsible Membership:
Please remember when you have finished playing, & are the last to leave the courts, to check the toilet is locked (if this facility has been used) & then padlock the gate. This will curtail the use of the courts by non-members - you have paid for membership and contributed to the running of the club and shouldn't have to subsidise those who have made no such contribution.
Harrogate League Tournament:
The Annual Harrogate & District League Tournament will be held w/c Sunday 8th June to Saturday 14th June 2008 at Harrogate Racquets Club. Full details are pinned up on the Club Noticeboard, otherwise contact Mr. Ian Hargreaves, League Secretary Tel. 01423 887964 e-mail: ian.hargreaves.tennis@ntlworld.com Entries close on 26th May 2008 & entry is free.
The Annual League Dinner/Trophy Presentation is booked for 26th September 2008 & will take place at Joe Rigatoni's
Club Discount:
Tennis balls are again available from the Club Treasurer, Carolyn Bury, contact number Tel. 770371. Even though Argos has changed ownership and its name to Monkhouse a 10% discount is still offered to all members purchasing tennis equipment from the shop at 11 Beulah Street, Harrogate.
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