LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING!

Elaine Paige, (photograph David Venni)

Here we are already into 2018 – I hope it will be a good year for everyone and all those involved in disability tennis.

Congratulations to Alfie Hewett on reaching Wheelchair World No. 1 – the Trust helped Alfie along the way when he was an aspiring junior player and we hope that many of the players the Trust supports will fulfil their potential whether it be at the top of the game or for social and recreational purposes. The great thing about tennis is it doesn’t matter how good you are or what age you are, you can still have a lot of fun. As you know I love my tennis and couldn’t wait to get back to playing after a tour and pantomime run at the end of last year.

The Trustees and I expect to receive the same number of requests for help this year so fundraising is all important, especially to a small charity such as ours. I would like to say a personal thank you to Ashford Tennis Club in Middlesex for raising £2,000 through various fundraising efforts – how they did it features in this edition of the Newsletter. If you think your club or organisation or group of friends can do something similar, please do consider The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust and let us know – we can support in various ways.

You will also see news of events for 2018 including our annual fundraising event – the Golf Celebrity Challenge which takes place at a new home – Ashridge Golf Club in Hertfordshire – a glorious venue with deer roaming across the course! We are always looking for different experiences and prizes to auction or raffle so if you wish to donate something, this is yet another way to support the Trust’s work.

Enjoy the Spring when it arrives and keep playing!
Take care and my best wishes
Elaine x
Elaine Paige, OBE, President
For Elaine's website click here

EVENTS FOR 2018

DAN MASKELL TENNIS TRUST CELEBRITY GOLF CHALLENGE

Wednesday 2nd May – Ashridge Golf Club, near Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire

Situated in the Ashridge Estate this picturesque golf club, rated in the top 100 in the UK, is the home for this year’s annual fundraising event.

Join Andrew Castle, Barry Cowan, Marcus Buckland on the Golf Course and mingle with President Elaine Paige.

Places are selling out fast so if you want to be involved, please see the please click here for the flyer and entry form. You can enter a team of 4, or a team of 3 to play with a celebrity, or as an individual. And if you don’t play golf at all, you can still come and enjoy the afternoon Reception and meal.
Contact gilly@danmaskelltennistrust.org.uk if you have any questions.

RECREATIONAL WHEELCHAIR TENNIS DOUBLES EVENT

Saturday and Sunday 5/6 May – Oxstalls Tennis Centre, Gloucester
Following a successful pilot event last year aimed at past players, this year’s event is expanding to include current recreational players.

Supported by EPC – Peter Norfolk’s company, and DMTT, players will be paired up for some fun doubles and can stay at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel where there will be an official dinner on the Saturday night.

Details can be found here – closing date for entries is Friday 2nd March.

CHARITY TENNIS DAY

Thursday 19th July – The Queen’s Club, London

Early notice –DMTT will be involved in the Charity Tennis Day at the prestigious Queen’s Club in West London – a private members’ club best known as the home of the major pre-Wimbledon grass court tournament.

The format for the day is doubles playing in round robin groups plus full hospitality to include lunch and end of play prize-giving reception. Entry fees will be £300 a pair or an individual can enter to play with a celebrity for £300. An entry form will be available soon and places are bound to go quickly so if you are interested in entering either as an individual or as a pair, please register your interest with Gilly@danmaskelltennistrust.org.uk for further information.

Part of the day includes a demonstration of wheelchair doubles and the chance to play with wheelchair players.

DMTT TEAM TENNIS COMPETITION FOR WHEELCHAIR PLAYERS

The Tennis Foundation is running this event around the UK which will lead to four teams taking part in the National Finals at Gloucester on the 3rd and 4th November.

The purpose of this competition is to introduce and encourage players new to wheelchair tennis to play in a fun competition within a team environment.

If you are a wheelchair player and want to know if you are eligible and how you can join in this event, even if you are not from a recognised club or Disability Network, please contact Liz Terry at the Tennis Foundation.
Disability Networks and Wheelchair Groups should also contact Liz.

Ashridge Golf Club

Recreational Wheelchair Doubles 2018 flyer.1

Recreational Doubles

Charity Day

WHAT DO YOU THINK? It might be worth your while to tell us!

The Trust is celebrating its 21st Birthday this year! So, we thought it was time to review our profile and ask our supporters for help. The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust is undertaking some research to determine if a possible change of name and/or imagery would result in a wider audience reach of potential donors and fundraising activity.

Your opinion would contribute to the debate so please could you take a few moments to answer to take our survey which will be sent in a separate email.

Everyone who replies will be entered into a draw and one winner drawn at random will receive a can of Wilson tennis balls and three Wilson golf balls in a souvenir pouch.

HOW AND WHY DID ASHFORD TENNIS CLUB RAISE £2,000 FOR DMTT?

Paul Snell, Chairman of Ashford Tennis Club in Middlesex explains that at an AGM members requested to support a charity for those who found it financially difficult to get into tennis. “This led to a discussion with member Noel McShane, (a wheelchair tennis player and a DMTT Trustee) and DMTT seemed the perfect fit. The club had hosted a wheelchair tournament for a number of years and last year we even ran a one up one down tournament which our members really enjoyed and have asked to be repeated”. Other fund raising events were two quiz nights, a Xmas tournament and raffle and a games night as well as a 24 hour marathon undertaken by Club Member Freddie Levett

We spoke to Freddie and asked him:

Why do it?

"Tennis is my biggest passion and the opportunity to raise money for a cause, which can allow others to get into the best sport there is, was too good to pass up. Nothing should stop disabled people from enjoying tennis and the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust helps to ensure this by providing equipment and support for players and programmes to keep growing the game".

What was it like?

"Tough but worth it! Everyone at the club, my friends and family all really got into it and helped cheer me on through the hard times (like at 4am when it started raining and I'd been playing for 14 hours...)".

"My three tips to anyone doing it:
• Take it easy during the first couple of hours - you will run a lot in 24 hours so try to spread it out.
• Bring a radio - as much as I love tennis you need something on in the background to distract you (you can even try and get a shout-out at 1am like we did!)
• Have loads of changes of clothes with you - changing gives you an extra energy boost and I never realised how cold a July evening could be....!

The feeling when it was over was incredible and it was great to know that people cared enough to donate so much of their time and their hard-earned money to support such a great cause!

A magnificent effort and a huge thank you to Paul, Freddie and all the members at Ashford Tennis Club

If you and your club want to follow Ashford's great example, please do consider supporting DMTT as your official charity. As well as a free fundraising pack, we now have a number of Ambassadors who may be able to come along to a Club event or Presentation.

GET YOUR FREE FUNDRAISING PACK FOR YOUR 2018 EVENTS

We very much hope you have been inspired to give some serious thought to running an event at your club to raise funds for our charity.

To help you with all your efforts, we have produced a fab fundraising pack that includes template posters, balloons, collection box, sponsorship forms, indeed everything we think you’ll need to help you help us!

If you would like to order a FREE fundraising pack, please email us with details of you event to info@danmaskelltennistrust.org.uk

PHENOMENAL SUCCESS BY WHEELCHAIR PLAYER

Fay Dutfield Horton from Cornwall has achieved a UK ranking of No. 7 and her first world ranking at No. 126 after just 6 months of wheelchair singles play. Fay received help with a tennis wheelchair and some coaching from the Trust last year. She is also trying for the Invictus GB Tennis Team – go Fay!

BRUCE WAKE CHARITABLE TRUST

We are delighted to report that following a successful application to The Bruce Wake Charitable Trust a grant of £5,000 was awarded to help with the provision of individual wheelchairs. As these are the most expensive items offered via the grant aid programme, this funding will help enormously. Thank you.

GRANTS AWARDED IN 2017

To give you a better idea of how the Trust uses its funds for grant aid – in 2017 just under £81,000 was awarded in grants comprising 32 tennis wheelchairs, 32 monetary grants to groups and individuals and 11 bags of equipment suitable for coaching disability tennis. You can see why fundraising is so important.

For details of how to apply and dates of this year's Trustee meetings visit the website

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT GDPR?

URGENT ACTION REQUIRED FROM YOU

General Data Protection Regulation comes into effect on the 25th May 2018. It is a regulation by which the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission intend to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the European Union (EU).

We really want to keep in touch with you and as an organisation that holds personal information such as email addresses and uses this to send you direct communications (your data is never passed on), we need to ask you if you will give ongoing consent to receive information from us? Unlike before when you had to opt out, you must now opt in. If you could click here
to send an email indicating your acceptance.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Wheelchair tennis player Nick Smelt is currently helping DMTT with our social media profiles as an intern. Nick is currently in his third year as an undergraduate at the University of St Andrews doing a MA Hons French & Spanish (with integrated year abroad) and came into contact with the Trust as a grant applicant – firstly as an individual applying for a tennis wheelchair and then for chairs for St Andrews University Tennis Club.

Please support our social media via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIN

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

10 – 11 March
Learning Disability Regional Tennis Tournament
Gosling Tennis Centre, Welwyn Garden City

24 – 25 March
Loughborough ROMA SPORT Wheelchair National Series
Dan Maskell Tennis Centre, Loughborough University

14 – 15 April
Warwick ROMA SPORT Wheelchair National Series
Warwick University, Warwick

15 April
Visually Impaired Regional Tennis Tournament
Billesley Indoor Tennis Centre, Birmingham

28 – 29 April
Learning Disability Regional Tennis Tournament
Wrexham Tennis Centre, Wrexham

5 – 6 May
Run by the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust
Recreational Doubles Tournament, Oxstalls Sports Park, Gloucester

12 – 13 May
Taunton ROMA SPORT Wheelchair National Series
Taunton Tennis Club, Taunton

12 – 13 May
Visually Impaired Regional Tennis Tournament
The Northumberland Club, Newcastle

26 – 27 May
Learning Disability Regional Tennis Tournament
Grantham Tennis Club, Grantham

For more details on how to enter and further events during the year click here

We hope you enjoyed this edition of the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust Newsletter

Contact Details (PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS)

Telephone 01737 831 707 - E: info@danmaskelltennistrust.org.uk

W: www.danmaskelltennistrust.org.uk

Charity No. 1133589

March 2018 Newsletter compiled and produced by Gilly English, Executive Director

President: Elaine Paige OBE

Hon Vice-President: John Barrett MBE

Chairman: Sue Wolstenholme OBE