Resurface & Rally: Tennis Courts For The Community

Aim

Help us resurface our courts so Gravesham Tennis Club remains a safe, welcoming place where families, friends, and generations come together

Who are we?

We are Gravesham Tennis Club, a proud part of a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) with decades of history at the heart of the local area. Our club is run by volunteers and welcomes people of all ages and abilities – from children picking up a racquet for the first time to lifelong players. We’re more than just a place to play tennis; we’re a friendly, welcoming community where sport, health, and friendships grow.

We’re also incredibly proud to have recently won the 2024 Lawn Tennis Association's County Award for Tennis Opened Up for our inclusive Gurdwara Gravesend project. This award recognises clubs that break down barriers, reach new audiences, and make tennis accessible to people who may never have considered stepping onto a court before. It reflects our values perfectly: open, friendly, respectful, and welcoming to all.

Why are we crowdfunding?

Our courts have served us faithfully for over 16 years, but time took its toll and they were worn and uneven. Without resurfacing, it’s harder to provide safe and enjoyable tennis for all our players.

That’s why we made the tough decision to take out a loan so the resurfacing could begin immediately. The work has already started, because our community couldn’t afford to wait any longer.

This ensures continuity—but also places a huge financial burden on a volunteer-run community club.

Crowdfunding gives us the chance to raise the money needed to resurface our courts and secure the club’s future. With your help, we can continue welcoming everyone – from schoolchildren to Link19 learners (Specialist College for learners with an EHCP), from beginners to lifelong players – into a safe, inclusive environment.

Sport England Match Funding – Double the impact of your support

We are delighted that Sport England has chosen to match fund our Crowdfunder as part of their "Active Together" programme. This is a huge opportunity for our club.

If we reach our target of £7,500 through crowdfunder,
Sport England will DOUBLE the amount, making it £15,000.

That means every donation—large or small—helps twice as much.

• £10 pledge becomes £20
• £25 becomes £50
• £50 becomes £100

But there’s a catch:
We only receive this matched funding if we hit our target of £7,500.
Every single pledge gets us closer to unlocking this vital support.

How we’ll spend the money raised

We’re committed to being transparent. Your support will go directly toward:

Court resurfacing – £110,000 (specialist contractors, new high-quality artificial clay surface, line markings).

As a volunteer-run, non-profit community club, we do not have commercial income or large reserves. This project is only possible through a combination of:

• A large loan
• Grants
• Our own fundraising
• And your support through this Crowdfunder

Every donation helps to reduce the size of the loan and protect the club’s long-term financial stability. Every donation brings us closer to ensuring our courts are safe, welcoming, and sustainable for years to come.

What happens if we don’t reach the target?

This is the difficult part.

If we fall short:

• We do not receive the Sport England match funding
• The club must shoulder the full weight of the resurfacing loan
• Future projects (fencing improvements, clubhouse repairs, certain community projects) are likely to be delayed
• We risk increasing membership costs, which goes against our mission of keeping tennis affordable and accessible

Your donation doesn’t just help…
It protects the club from long-term financial strain and ensures we can continue serving the community.

Community impact

Gravesham is a wonderfully diverse borough with a rich mix of cultures and communities. But it also faces challenges that make local, accessible sport more important than ever.

Many families live in areas with limited green space. Some residents face financial barriers to taking part in structured sport. For others, confidence, accessibility needs, or lack of experience can make it hard to join traditional clubs. As part of a CASC, we exist to remove those barriers—and to create a safe, friendly space where everyone feels welcome.

This project isn’t just about new courts – it’s about people. Gravesham Tennis Club brings together generations, offering affordable coaching, family play, social sessions, and inclusive opportunities. From Walking Tennis, which keeps older players and those with reduced mobility active and connected, to working with Link19 College and local schools, our club provides a welcoming space for all. Resurfacing our courts will ensure these opportunities grow and remain accessible to everyone in our community.

While local health statistics play a part in understanding the need—such as the borough’s higher-than-average levels of childhood and adult obesity, and higher levels of physical inactivity—they are only one part of a much bigger picture. The real story is that Gravesham needs community spaces where people can move, play, connect, and feel included, and we are proud to be one of those spaces.

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!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made