Lawn Tennis

The Tennis Club is open for all who would like to play tennis and welcomes all abilities. The two newly refurbished grass courts operate from May to October each year. Also, we have a newly built artificial grass court with floodlighting that can be used all year round.

Club sessions are organised throughout the year:

• Tuesday & Thursday Evenings from 5:30: Mixed Doubles
• Saturday afternoons from 2:00: Mixed Doubles
• Wednesday afternoons from 2:00: Ladies

We are a community tennis club and welcome players of all abilities. Nobody ever feels out of place here. We’re a friendly bunch and our club is an ideal place where you can make new friends, unlock new social opportunities, have fun and get fitter in the process. We play social tennis in a lovely sheltered setting so why not come along and see what’s on offer? Your first visit is FREE.

There are a range of membership levels and prices to suit all needs. You can pay and play if you prefer,  but only at certain times of the week.  Being a member means you can play every day if you wish! Floodlights open up the darker evenings too.

We also have social events which we hope will re-commence soon when we are all confident about avoiding everything Covid can throw at us!

We have been described as a “best kept secret” possibly due to the fact that our courts are a bit hidden away and, hands up, we haven’t been too  brilliant in telling the community about ourselves in the past! So now we are working hard to let everyone know about us and, hopefully, welcome them to CLTC so they can be as lucky and happy as us! So, if you are reading this please do get in touch. Spread the word!

Membership

The Club welcomes new members throughout the year. The Club offers various membership schemes to support the range of preferences to play and pay. We still offer one of the lowest membership fees for the facilities available.

The courts are available to members throughout the week except for organised sessions, coaching, and short periods when groundsman is cutting and lining.

Private Court Hire charges

Court hire

• £8 per court per hour as CMI tennis club member
• £16 per court per hour as associated CMI member
• £20 per court per hour as private hire (subject to availability and committee approval)

Court hire with floodlighting

• £10 per court per hour as CMI tennis club member
• £20 per court per hour as associated CMI member
• £25 per court per hour as private hire (subject to availability and committee approval)

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The Club

All change

2020 proved to be a most eventful year in the history of Chilwell Memorial Institute Tennis Club. After three years of grant submissions, planning applications and project meetings our brand new floodlit all-weather court became a reality.

Soon afterwards the remaining grass courts, in existence since the 1930s and in dire need of attention, were dug up and relayed completing our dream of having an up to date and fit for purpose tennis facility available to our community.

We were also voted Nottinghamshire LTA Club of the Year 2020 and received a Highly Commended national award too! Not bad for a small club in the heart of Chilwell.

Our History

The Chilwell Memorial Hall and Institute records have shown grass courts have supported tennis play for over 97 years. A recent rediscovered old membership book revealed many local family names as full members from 1950 to late 1970s. Other documents revealed local competitions and popular dinner dances.

Social Activities

The Club undertakes an number of social events throughout the year. Many are popular annual events such as the Open Days, Christmas Dinner and Quiz Nights. Others are directly linked to raise funding for our coaching and redevelopment programmes, which included popular antiques valuation day roadshow.

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Redevelopment

Membership levels and interest in social tennis play has declined for many years, reaching an all-time low in 2014 were the Club nearly folded. This generated a call to action from the remaining members and Institute.

There were three clear issues from feedback for new and old members, and the local community.

1. Limited time period for play. The club could only offer 6 months play mid-April to mid-October, which was subject to daylight and good weather.
2. Condition of grass surface. Over the years the cost of maintenance and falling number of volunteers, with skills, had resulted in long-term damage to the grass surface. Pests, weeds, and undulating surface grew as problems each year.
3. Changing face of club sessions and sports play. Many potential members were interested joining, but organising their own activities. This is a general major shift in sporting activities that has seen social media and technology apps enabling players to organised themselves very efficiently and effectively, and reorganising session quickly to get the right numbers and avoid bad weather.

Therefore, a business plan was developed, mapping out a roadmap to resolve these three factors. This was to show existing members our commitment to improvements and to encourage new members to join and stay. Also, it was a call for volunteers and local and national sporting bodies to get involved.

Amidst the pandemic, during 2020, we finally got planning permission and financials agreed. We are very grateful to Sport England, Nottinghamshire County Council, and Broxtowe Borough Council, and The Institute itself for the £90k funding needed. This allow us to:

• Construct a new highway access from Meadow Lane.
• Replace the existing boundary fencing.
• Construct a top of the range all-weather artificial grass court for tennis and netball.
• Install floodlighting with controller.
• Clean and tidy-up the Meadow Lane trees and hedge row.
• Refurbish the remaining two grass courts with major levelling and reseeding.

The Club remains on track to complete this project for the Institutes 100th birthday.

Awards

The Club’s Committee Members are a group dedicate volunteers and their hard work has been recognised by receipt of regional awards.

• Midlands Regional Highly Commended: Club of the Year 2021
• Notts LTA Club of the Year Award for 2020
• Notts LTA Tennis Volunteer of the Year 2017: Christopher Clift

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SAFEGUARDING and RELATED POLICIES

CMITC acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and adults. The club is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and LTA requirements. A copy of the club’s full safeguarding policy and other related policies are available from the clubhouse, here on our website (click headings above and below) or upon request from Christine Ball our Welfare Officer.

For more information contact:

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