ATF is thrilled to be working in close partnership with The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
ATF are passionate about giving our young people opportunities to get involved in activities, which due to socio economic inequality they may not have access to. One example of this is Tennis which, because of the cost of court hire can be considered as a sport that is difficult to access.
However thanks to the support of LTA, ATF has been able to provide a tennis programme as part of our HAF holiday club programme which has led to over 900 young people playing the sport in South Essex over the holiday period.
We have also been able to utilise the Serves Programme to support our migrant project and also take tennis to young people who are currently residing within mental health residential units within Essex.
The SERVES Programme is the LTA’s leading sport for development programme, which takes tennis into the heart of local communities to people who may have never picked up a racket or thought tennis was for them.
LTA SERVES Venues are located across England, Scotland and Wales and tennis is delivered in a variety of venues including; Community Centres, Youth Clubs, Mosques, Gurdwaras, Mandirs, Church Halls, Housing Associations and others.
They encourage and engage young people aged 8 – 18 years to get active and involved in tennis – having fun with friends, keeping mentally and physically fit all while learning new skills and increasing their self-confidence. In turn this supports and empowers young people to develop both as an individual and in tennis, learning life skills beyond the tennis court.
LTA SERVES Tennis Activators are from the communities that they deliver tennis in and are from a diversity of backgrounds. Volunteers, Leaders, Youth Workers and others (16+) are provided with training and skills required to become a Tennis Activator, enabling them to lead and facilitate tennis sessions confidently to the young people that attend.
ATF has supported over 40 community members to become Tennis Activators.
Tennis is a sport that everyone can get involved in; we aim to encourage as many communities to participate in playing tennis. We offer opportunities for SERVES Venues to meet and play tennis together and access tennis provision outside of their own community venue.
Our work in the community has seen us awarded as a winner of the LTA’s Community and Parks Essex and Eastern Regional Award as well as being highly commended nationally.
ATF coaches being trained as Tennis Activators, enabling them to lead and facilitate tennis sessions confidently with at-risk young people.
ATF were delighted to be selected as national finalists in the LTA’s Communities and Parks Award
Some local young people have never had the opportunity to try tennis before - The support from the LTA is helping to change that!
Through the LTA’s support, ATF were able to take a group of at-risk young people to experience the spectacle of Wimbledon.
The LTA enabled ATF to take a group of young people to experience the excitement of Wimbledon.
The LTA’s ‘Monster Smash’ Tournament proved to be a great hit during one of ATF’s holiday clubs!
One of our budding tennis players at a holiday club in Basildon, Essex.