Who are we?

Stocksfield & District Tennis Club was founded in 1956. Since then we have grown from having 3 to 4 outdoor, all weather courts and our clubhouse has grown from a shed to portacabin to permanent building! We are a friendly, active tennis club serving Stocksfield, Mickley, Prudhoe, Ovington, Ovingham, Hindley, Hedley on the Hill and surrounding areas. 

Why are we crowdfunding?

Stocksfield and District Tennis Club has been expertly ran by volunteers since it's foundation in 1956 and is a well-managed and well supported club. However the club is facing a number of items of exceptional expenditure in the short term in order to ensure it remains a safe and accessible facility for its members and the community.

Our existing court surfaces, installed in 2008, have come to the end of their lives. We invested in having the surfaces rejuvenated 2 year ago, but unfortunately that temporary fix is no longer viable. The courts now fail to drain properly and have become slippery and uneven despite some temporary repairs. This means the courts are becoming hazardous to play on. In order to continue as a community sports facility, it is essential for the safety of all to replace the court surfaces.

The fencing around our single court is old and the retaining posts have rotted through to the extent that some are completely broken and may fall. Again this causes a safety concern and requires urgent replacement. We also propose to add two new access gates to the fencing which could be used by those with impaired mobility and to provide access for modern maintenance equipment to keep the courts in prime condition moving forward.

In addition, a modern access system to improve public access to the courts and increase the use of the facility by the local community is planned.

This series of upcoming expenses has come closely after we suffered clubhouse damage due to damp and storm-damaged fencing behind the clubhouse during Storm Arwen which depleted our reserves. Nevertheless, through its sound management, the club has accumulated through its members subscriptions and fund- raising activities over several years, a development fund to cover a significant portion of the projected expense.

However, the fact that these large expenditures have arisen concurrently and on the back of recent work, together with the impact of COVID-19 disruptions over the last 2 years, we find that we now need to reach out to the wider community and local organisations to help with our fundraising efforts.

We also hope our crowdfunding efforts will attract new members who may not be aware of our small, friendly club nestled in a quiet residential location at Guessburn, Stocksfield.

Patched up court surface which is a tripping hazard

Wear & tear of the all weather surface means they are now extremely slippery

Fence posts have become rusted, rotten and dangerous

Fence post bent by rust which is a safety and security risk

Our current carpark which gets very muddy, is full of pot holes and sharp stones

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. If you want to run your own fundraiser to support us, 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!

How we'll spend the money raised

With the wider community's generosity we hope to be able to replenish our sinking fund, which has been built up over many years but, as previously detailed, various unexpected expenditures have left a massive dent in our once-healthy balance.

We are replacing the court surfaces on all 4 courts to enable safe play and future prosperity of our club: Estimated costs: £60,000 plus VAT

We desperately need the fencing replaced to make it more safe and secure. We also will add another access gate: Estimated costs: £9,000 plus VAT

Our car park is in dire need of resurfacing: Estimated costs: £8,500 plus VAT

How our courts used to look and our aim is to have them looking smart and safe again

Community impact

Stocksfield Tennis Club are keen to attract new members in the wider community. All abilities, all ethnicities, all genders, all faiths and all ages are welcome. Our members range in age from 4 to 90 years old! 

We encouraged Ukranians refugees who moved to the village to join our club for free last year, as a taster for whether they would like to continue playing tennis with us. Our support is extended to any other refugee group in order to help them settle into their new homes.

Exercise is fundamental as part of a fit and healthy lifestyle. We would therefore like to encourage more new members and hope to use some of the funds to start an advertising campaign to make people more aware of our existence.

Post COVID-19, mental health has become so much more prevalent. Studies prove exercise can greatly impact a person's state of mind. Encouraging people to join our new and improved club and facilities would no only provide this outlet, but also give people the opportunity to meet and make new friends.

As well as providing a social tennis scene, we also offer competitive tennis via LTA approved leagues. There is an active coaching programme and school holiday camps provided by our coach for junior members. There are also opportunities for adult coaching either in groups or on a one to one basis. So whatever your tennis needs, we can help!

We have recently held social events at the local Cricket Club including a Race Night and Quiz Evening. We hope to continue providing social evenings not just for club members but for the local people to get involved too.