Always on
This project successfully funded on 20th December 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
From Dawn to Dusk, Enabling Tennis for All!
Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
Aim
Raising funds to install floodlights at the tennis courts in Ampthill Great Park. Bringing greater access to tennis for the local community!
Who are we?
We are Ampthill Great Park Tennis Club. Formed in 2019, the club really came into its own during Covid when it was able to provide a safe place for local people to get out and meet others. Since then, we have grown to 200+ members and regularly compete in the Bedfordshire Doubles Leagues, the LTA Play Your Way to Wimbledon competition, provide junior and senior coaching, Walking Tennis sessions and try to participate in as many aspects of Ampthill community life as we can.
Why are we crowdfunding?
We are a friendly bunch who are trying to improve the tennis facilities in Ampthill through installing floodlights and therefore increasing the playing hours available to all. For example, this will allow us to make junior coaching sessions available in Ampthill all year round or offer additional community tennis sessions as we will not be restricted to the daylight hours. Floodlights will provide 2,200 extra playing hours annually.
An additional benefit will be to deter anti-social behaviour that has been occurring in the evenings, the floodlights will bring more people to the area in the evening and make it a more sociable space.
Locally, low-cost floodlit tennis is almost non-existent. We are proud to offer both paid and free memberships, with open court access and fair booking rights for all.
How we’ll spend the money raised
With Sport England matched funding support, we will be able to fully fund the LED strip light system (Tweener lights) and install them during Winter 25/26. This photo shows the lights installed in another local club in Harrold, Bedfordshire.
Community impact
By installing LED floodlights we will transform participation in tennis for our entire Ampthill and surrounding communities. Our short term goal is to double the number of available playing hours year-round by enabling safe, floodlit access beyond daylight. Long term, we will significantly grow community engagement, reduce inactivity, and provide a welcoming environment for all ages and backgrounds to enjoy regular physical activity.
Usage of the courts currently drops dramatically in Winter, reducing our ability to offer social tennis, junior coaching, female only, SEN, wheelchair and walking tennis sessions.
How you can play your part
There are two simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Pay and Save - Pay your future annual membership in advance and avoid any increases for the next 5 years! Pay £200 now and nothing more for 5 years. You will access Gold Membership and receive a unique piece of club merch to recognise your support of the club. We are restricting this to the first 30 members who donate, so make your donation as soon as possible!
2. Buy a Lightbulb - Make a donation to pay for a LED light bulb - £20 per light bulb
3. Join a Training Session - Donate £15 to join a group training session with our coach, Justin Brooke. Date to be arranged once crowd funder closed.
4. Make a one off donation - Donate anything you would like to help us raise our matched funding amount.
Sport England - Movement Fund has provided £14,100 of match funding
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made