Who are we?

Get Set 4 Tennis are an award-winning fully inclusive community tennis club providing free or affordable tennis to over 1000 children and adults every week. We have two venues; Denham Way Recreation Ground, Maple Cross and Manor House Grounds, Abbots Langley. Since May 2023 we have been fortunate enough to take on a fully renovated site for a 15 year lease, enabling us to provide so much more than just tennis to the local community. As a result of this work, we were named Hertfordshire LTA Tennis 4 All Award Winners for our work in inclusion. Our 7th award in 5 years. 

Community Impact

For the past three years, GS4 have run crowdfunding pages which have been extremely well received by the local community and raised lots of vital funds to support our work. 

Our work this year has very much had a community focus. We have a fantastic new hub building allowing us to run creative SEND club, Lego club, and Art Club. We have opened as a warm safe space every Thursday and we welcome the Inclusion Project once a week. This space is so important to our community as many are disadvantaged either physically or financially. It allows everyone to be able to access extra curricular clubs and learn new skills. 

The building has also been used to host parties, open days and other community events. 

This is all in addition to our usual outreach programmes with local SEND schools, nurseries and within areas of deprivation. 

Our career pathway for children with additional needs also goes from strength to strength as we are now piloting an LTA initiative for young people with additional needs to get the support required to gain an LTA Level 1 coaching badge, this is the only project of its kind in the UK. 

We have also introduced mental well being projects and tennis leaders courses. These projects are so important to our local community and offer tennis as a vehicle to change lives. With mental health statistics continually rising in young people we offer early intervention support to children aged 7-18 through bespoke courses. 

Our leaders courses are for young people aged 11-16 in our local community to gain skills to support tennis club and other sporting venues. They are offered volunteering and even some paid work after they have completed the course. We particularly offer children who are likely to fall into the criminal justice system a place on this course. 

With huge thanks to Three Rivers District Council for all their support. 

This was our quote last year and it remains the same to this day….

“Our aim is anyone can have a go and make new friends regardless of their ability/disability and financial circumstances. Sport should have no barriers.

All equipment provided and EVERYONE is welcome!

Last years crowdfunding campaign........

A massive THANK YOU to everyone who supported last years crowdfunding campaign and raised a hugely impressive £8091 for our Serving the Community project. This money covered the cost of our first years rent and we were able to use the money left over to pay water and electricity bills. Although this doesnt sound very exciting, without this money we would of had to increase fees considerably which is really not what our club is about. It also meant we could introduce a range of new clubs and programmes to our community without having to charge a large amount and some offered free of charge. 

This years target is the same and just as important as it is very rare to be able to gain a grant for running costs........

Why are we crowdfunding?

Unfortunately our running costs are not going to disappear, if anything they will be growing! We have much larger overheads then ever before with rent, electricity, water, wifi and a sinking fund to allow for future maintenance. 

In order for us to keep lessons, activities, camps, everything we do, low cost, fundraising projects like this are vital. Without the support from the local community it will be incredibly hard to achieve everything we would like to for the local community. 

From feedback, we know how incredibly important it is to our families and the local community that this facility is able to offer a year round package both on and off the tennis court. Many of the areas of the community we work with are isolated and/or vulnerable and this facility will enable us to bring people together.

How we’ll spend the money raised

Basic running costs (rent, water, electricity and wifi) for the Maple Cross facility are around £12,000 per year. Last year our crowdfunding page raised £8000 towards this which was massively important. 

This doesn't take into account our highly subsidised pay-as-you-go lessons. Most local clubs charge upfront membership fee and then over £10 per hour for lessons. We are between £5-£7.50 with absolutely no up front fee, making us unique in our area. Therefore any additional funds over this £12,000 will go towards these subsidised lessons. In any event, absolutely all money raised will go towards supporting these programmes to ensure we continue making tennis and our community hub accessible to those most in need in our community.

We know that the cost of living crisis sees many local families struggling financially. Sadly we know sport is the first thing to be stopped when money is tight but often has the greatest detrimental impact on both physical and mental health. This is why we feel that it's so important now to continue and expand our offering to the local community why we hope you will consider supporting us, and supporting Mark and Jon to play tennis for 24hours!