Who are we?
Established c1933, Palmerston Tennis Club is a friendly, community-driven tennis club that welcomes everyone, regardless of age or ability. Run entirely by dedicated volunteers who generously give their time and energy, we are proud to be a cornerstone of the community. Our mission is to provide opportunities for local residents and school children to learn, play, and enjoy tennis in a supportive and inclusive environment.
As a crowdfunded club, we rely on the generosity and support of our community to continue offering a safe, outdoor space where people from all walks of life—regardless of age, gender, or background—can come together to enjoy recreational sport year-round. With a long-standing reputation for excellence, we are committed to delivering top-quality tennis programs for both adults and juniors, fostering a love for the game and building lasting connections within our community.
Why are we crowdfunding?
Since its foundation in c1933, Palmerston Tennis Club has been expertly run by a team of dedicated volunteers, earning a reputation as a well-managed and well-supported community hub. However, after resurfacing three of our artificial grass courts in 2022, the combination of extremely wet weather over the past year and the age of our remaining courts has caused the other three to degrade significantly. They have now reached a point where replacement is essential to ensure the safety and enjoyment of our members and visitors.
Lots of moss treating, brushing and cleaning has taken place over the years!
We sourced multiple quotes to deep clean the courts, however, the age of the courts and the cost/benefit of this compared to the replacement was not viable.
While the club has been financially prudent over the years and can cover the majority of the costs, we need your help to bridge the funding gap for this vital project. We are reaching out to our incredible community, asking for your support to help us raise sufficient funds. Every contribution, no matter how small (or large!), will make a meaningful difference and help us continue to provide a safe, high-quality space for everyone to enjoy tennis. Together, we can ensure Palmerston Tennis Club remains a thriving part of our community for generations to come. Thank you for your support!
How we’ll spend the money raised
We will resurface Courts 4, 5 and 6, with new artificial clay courts. This will involve lifting the existing artificial grass carpet which has been down for 14 years. The new surface is scheduled to be put down in March 2025, ready for the start of the new league season at the end of April.
Once the courts are redone, we can start offering more services, including more children's coaching, more adult social play and a fuller social calendar, increasing the accessibility of racket sports in our area.
Community impact
The club continues to make improvements to our facilities to support both current members and the wider community. The shift to artificial clay surfaces is a great step in ensuring that the courts are usable year-round, especially during the winter when safety can be an issue. The softer, more forgiving surface will not only make tennis accessible to people of all ages but also be a huge benefit to those with joint concerns or mobility challenges.
We will continue to offer free sessions for the community during the summer. It can spark interest in tennis and possibly lead to more people joining the club or simply enjoying the sport as a form of gentle exercise. This kind of outreach can also foster a sense of belonging and well-being, particularly among seniors, who might feel more inclined to participate in an environment that is both supportive and accessible.
We continue to make an impact within the community, through our partnerships with local primary schools and a national tennis charity. Introducing tennis to children in primary schools, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, is such a powerful way to foster a lifelong interest in sport and physical activity. The opportunity for these children to transition from the school setting to our club for further coaching is a great pathway to help them grow in the sport.
We also collaborate with Tennis Lancashire through it's Junior Development Trust to help support these efforts. Building solid school-club links ensures that more children have access to tennis in a structured and ongoing way, which can be so crucial for their development, both in tennis and in other aspects of their lives.
The combination of reaching out to local schools, offering opportunities for vulnerable children, and maintaining a pipeline for them to continue at our club shows our commitment to making tennis accessible and inclusive.
The health benefits of playing tennis outside cannot be underestimated, fresh air, exercise, teamwork, challenge and skill development, not to mention fun.
The club continues to be a meaningful part of people’s lives. The social aspect of tennis, where friendships are formed and maintained over years, is often one of the most rewarding elements for members. That sense of community, combined with the health benefits of outdoor exercise, makes it not just a sport but a lifestyle for many.
Our Rusty Rackets programme is a great initiative for re-engaging people who may have taken a break from the game. The program is also attracting new players, giving those who might have thought they were too rusty or out of touch with the sport a low-pressure way to ease back into it.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!