Issue details

Recommendations made and reasons:

To award a grant of £10,000 to Chipperfield Tennis Club

In the Spring round 2022 a community grant application was made by Chipperfield Tennis Club (CTC) which received approval at the grants panel meeting on 15 June 2022.

The project is to provide new floodlighting to the front tennis court and to replace the back floodlights with the latest sustainable LED technology. The project has been an aspiration for many years to provide more tennis playing time throughout the year.

CTC have recently secured full planning permission which was fully supported by Chipperfield Parish Council and the adjacent Blackwell's cafe (a focal meeting point for the community).

The key benefits of the project include:

•           Increased court usage – The proposed floodlights will significantly increase the amount of tennis played on the front court. Currently the front court usage is severely limited in terms of its use from September-April.

•           Increased peak court time – The proposals will significantly increase the peak court times (4pm-9pm)

•           Increased coaching opportunities - The proposals will allow a greater number of coaching sessions for players of all ages and abilities (including after school activities/coaching)

•           Increased school use – Having two courts with flood lights will mean the club will be able to support more children’s tennis in conjunction with the neighbouring primary school, St Paul’s. This will be an opportunity to promote more tennis and exercise for children in the local community.

•           Enabling club social tennis events – will allow for social tennis to operate all year round.

•           Enabling competitive tennis – the lights on both courts will enable matches vs various other local teams.

•           Increased membership – it will allow the Tennis Club to increase its capacity for new membership as a result of the increase in peak court time available.

•           Crime prevention –  increased passive surveillance to help reduce opportunities for anti-social behaviour and vandalism

In summary the project will bring a number of social benefits, such as increased community cohesion, promotion of sport and wellbeing, and facilitating social interaction

Total project cost £36,000

Funding:

£10,000 DBC grant

£20,500 own resources and fundraising

£2,000 Blackwell’s Trustee’s

£2000 Chipperfield Parish Council

Background

Chipperfield Tennis Club is a village club run entirely by a dedicated team of volunteers as a non-profit organisation that seeks to primarily promote social tennis. The club currently has approximately 370 members, consisting of 105 family memberships, 40 Adults, 12 Students and 2 Juniors. The Club also provides coaching sessions and is regularly used by the adjacent primary school (St Paul's CoE). Tennis coaching is also provided for the school children.

CTC holds club competitions, social events and designates court time for mixed social tennis of all abilities during the summer months.  The vision is to provide more playing time for all during the autumn and winter months by providing flood lighting on the front court in line with the approved planning permission.

The club is contributing funds from their own resources as well as fundraising activities, and they have applied for grants from other funders, namely the English Cricket Board, Sport England, HCC Locality Funding and Hertfordshire Community Foundation.

The proposed installation of safety netting will enable the club to host home games, both as part of leagues and friendly matches, while adhering to the requirements of the Parish Council.

The application was assessed through the Community Grant Scheme, which is specifically set up to support Community, Voluntary, Arts and Sporting groups that benefit the residents of Dacorum.  There are three rounds of Community Grant funding per financial year.  Applicants are invited to apply for funding and the applications are assessed by a panel of officers, who will be looking at how well it meets the criteria of the fund; whether the project supports the Councils objectives and how it supports the following five ways to well-being: be active, take notice, learn, give and connect.