Eccleston Park Tennis Club Greener Tennis Lighting

Aim

Our project aims to upgrade Eccleston Park Tennis Clubs floodlights to energy-efficient LED, improving playing experience and reducing costs

Who are We?

Eccleston Park Tennis Club is not just a club, but a community that welcomes players of all ages and abilities. Established in 1904, we are proud of our heritage and continue to be a friendly and welcoming place for all who love tennis. Our passion for the sport is evident in the many coaching sessions we offer, including kids mini tennis, cardio tennis, girls and boys tennis up to 16 and adult sessions where participants have been old as 80! Our coaching sessions not only improve tennis skills, but they also promote fitness, well-being, and social connections.

We are committed to promoting tennis in the local community and have links with local schools to encourage children to get involved in the sport. We also organise social events that bring our members together, creating a friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Our coaching sessions often result in participants making life-long friendships, strengthening the bonds within our community.

We are proud to have raised thousands of pounds for local charities including Willowbrook Hospice, the Owen McVeigh Foundation, and the North West RSPCA. Our volunteers and members work tirelessly to support these charities and we are grateful for their dedication.

Our club has been the host venue for several mental health support groups and initiatives, including mindfulness workshops and wellbeing classes. We recognise the importance of mental wellbeing and are committed to supporting our community in this regard.

Furthermore, we are excited to collaborate with local art groups to showcase the talents of our community members. We believe in the power of art to promote creativity, expression, and mental wellbeing. Finally, our club also hosts a table tennis club, providing an additional opportunity for the community to come together and stay active.

Most recently the club successfully crowdfunded for £26,000 in 2020 to rejuvenate our old shale courts into brand new artificial clay courts. This project has given us year-round play, expanded our coaching program, and increased our social play opportunities, encouraging people to stay active even in the winter months. This project was a huge success for the club and the local community, and we are grateful to all who supported us in making it a reality.

The last Crowdfunder transformed our club from looking like this:

TO THIS!!!!

This was the moment that we announced the news to the club that our old Shale courts were being replaced!!

Why are we Crowdfunding?

We're excited to announce that we're crowdfunding to upgrade our outdated Halogen Floodlights to energy-efficient LED ones. The main reason for this upgrade is that we can no longer purchase halogen light bulbs, which has made it increasingly difficult to maintain our current lighting system. By upgrading to LED floodlights, we'll not only save on energy costs and reduce our environmental impact, but also provide brighter and more reliable lighting for our players. With your support, we can make this important upgrade a reality and continue to provide an exceptional playing experience for our members.

In the past, we've turned to crowdfunding to achieve great success in funding important projects that have helped to elevate our tennis club. And this time, we're confident that with your support, we can make the LED floodlight upgrade a reality.

By upgrading to LED floodlights on Courts 4 & 5, we'll not only save on energy costs and reduce our environmental impact, but also provide brighter and more reliable lighting for our players. Although we will need to seek planning permission in order to change the Floodlight heads we wouldn't need to change the design of the current lighting structure and provisional conversations with both Lighting engineers, the LTA and St Helens council have been really positive due to the fact that we are already using LED lighting on Courts 1 & 2.

SEE BELOW FOR PICTURES OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HALOGEN AND LED

Additionally, the cost savings and energy efficiency of LED lights will allow us to offer even more coaching sessions, club tournaments, and social play during the autumn and winter months. This means more opportunities for our members to improve their skills, compete with one another, and enjoy the game they love in optimal lighting conditions.

But we can't do it without your help. We're calling on all tennis enthusiasts to contribute to our crowdfunding campaign and help us achieve this important upgrade. Every pound counts, and every contribution will make a significant impact in bringing our tennis club to the next level.

Join us in this exciting endeavour and be a part of creating an unparalleled tennis experience for our members. With your support, we can make it happen!

How we'll spend the money raised?

As part of our commitment to enhancing our facilities, we are seeking funding to upgrade the floodlights on courts 4 and 5 to energy-efficient LED lighting. With the halogen bulbs used in our current floodlights no longer available, upgrading to LED lighting will ensure that we can continue to use these courts well into the future. This upgrade will not only improve the quality of play for our members but also reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable environment.

In addition, any extra funds raised will enable us to increase our outreach projects that provide free access to tennis, coaching, and equipment for minority groups in our community. These projects encourage a healthy lifestyle and wellbeing, including courses aimed at improving mental health.

The new floodlights will also allow us to put on more coaching sessions aimed at people of all ages and abilities, at a lower cost to the club, and making use of the facilities all year round.

Community Impact

Upgrading our floodlights to energy-efficient LED will have a positive impact on our local community in several ways. Firstly, it will allow us to continue to provide affordable access to tennis for players of all ages and abilities, regardless of the time of day or season. With brighter and more reliable lighting, players will be able to enjoy tennis at any time, making it easier to fit into their busy schedules.

Secondly, the upgrade to LED will reduce our energy costs and environmental impact, making us a more sustainable and environmentally friendly club. With the halogen bulbs no longer available, upgrading to LED will also future-proof our floodlights, allowing us to continue to use them well into the future.

Overall, by upgrading our floodlights to LED, we'll be able to enhance the tennis experience for our members and provide greater access to the local community, all while being greener and cutting costs. Thank you for your support!

How to Support Us:

We have several exciting ways for you to show your support for our project.

We've partnered with local businesses to offer a variety of rewards beyond tennis-related items, including discounted rates on their products and services.

You can also enjoy a selection of craft beers as well as delicious ready-made meals, desserts and luxurious afternoon tea available for purchase.

Pamper yourself with nail treatments, hand massaging from a Tropics Skincare expert or get a Lash Lift from Hello Pretty!

There are a range of services that are also available from History tutoring for GCSE's or A-Levels, Mortgage Advice on that new house you're looking at, Boiler service for your existing home, a Three hour deep clean of you house by a professional cleaner or Dental Care at reduced and affordable prices!

In addition to this you can also purchase the book '8 Weeks to Maximum Health' to help you maximise your wellbeing. There are some specific tennis rewards which are also provided by local businesses and vendors such as Tennis Racquet Stringing and One-2-One Coaching.

By contributing to our crowdfunding campaign, not only will you be supporting our tennis club, but you'll also be supporting our community's businesses.

Don't miss out on these fantastic deals and don't forget to support our local businesses by following them on the social media platforms and websites below!

Support our Local Business:

• MADE Catering:
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madecafemsp/
  Website: https://www.madecatering.com/
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outsidemadecatering/
  
  
• MATCH Brewery
  Website: https://matchbrewery.com/
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZ18i7Lghlc/
  
  
• Maximum Edge Strengthening Communities
  Website: https://maximumedge.org.uk/
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaxEdgeCIC
  
  
• Tropic Skincare
  Website: http://www.tropicskincare.com/
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TropicSkincare
  
  
• Mortgage Advice People
  Website: https://mortgageadvicepeople.com/
  
  
• Hello Pretty
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helloprettybyhelenpreston/
  
  
• THEVA Heating and Plumbing
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThevaHeatingPlumbingNW/
  
  
• WESTON Property Group
  Website: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/estate-agents/agent/Weston-Property-Group/Merseyside-233519.html

Tennis Club Specific Rewards:

• Find the Joker Ticket: Enter our Find the Joker raffle for just £2 a ticket. The draw will take place on Friday 31st March so act quick to avoid missing out!
  
  
• Merseyside Open Singles Championship: Entry now open for the Merseyside Open Singles Championship, a new French Open-themed tennis tournament! Entry is £15 includes lunch and access to our player-zone. There are three different tournaments on offer Men's Elite, Ladies Elite and Men's Developer.
  
  
• Court Sponsorship: You can sponsor one of our five tennis courts and have your company logo displayed on a banner that will be prominently displayed on the court all year round. This is a great way to show your support for the club and promote your business to a local audience.
  
  
• Large Events: Our Merseyside Open Singles Championship in May is a new and exciting tennis event for the region, and we expect it to attract a large audience. Our Summer Festival in July is a fun family day with food, drinks, and tennis games. By pledging your support, you can help us make these events a success and raise much-needed funds for our floodlight upgrade.
  
  
• Tennis Kit Sponsorship: You can have your company logo printed on our exclusive zip-through hoodies. Not only will you be supporting our project, but you'll also get exposure on the court.
  
  Don't forget to follow the progress of our Crowdfunder through our social media channels Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Whatever your pledge level, you'll be making a positive difference to our tennis club and the local community. We'll also be adding new rewards throughout the campaign so keep an eye on the page! Thank you for your support!

This project successfully funded on 22nd May 2023