NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2014
FROM THE CHAIRMAN – PHILIP OLVER
Welcome to the first newsletter of the year; I hope you find it interesting and remember it is your newsletter not just the
Management Committee’s, so if you have an interesting article (about the Club of course!) and would like it considered
for publication please pass to our Editor, Sue Johnson.
In the next few weeks you will be hearing more about “Gift Aid” (see below in Sue’s section) and I would like to place
on record my sincere thanks to John Tanner who brought the potential financial advantages to my attention.
Last week at the Tennis Sussex AGM, Peter Boorne (pictured below with the Tennis Sussex President, Nick
Greenwood) collected the Les Dart Cup for the Champions of the Mixed Veteran's League - Ladies' 50/Men's 55
Men’s 2013; congratulations to all the team members – the second year in a row that Angmering-on-Sea LTC has won
the trophy.
Finally, this year we are considering sending membership renewal notices electronically for those Members who use
email; paper documents will be available as usual for non-email users. We would like to test the renewals form before
we go live so we will be undertaking a random trial run with about 20 members. If you are asked to take part in the
trial, I do hope you will, as the results will be used to make the process as user friendly as possible.
My thanks to our sponsors Glyn-Jones for their support for our Club; please consider them for your property needs
during the year.
Finally, I wish you excellent tennis and memorable social events for 2014.
HEAD COACH – ANDREW COOK
After School Junior Tennis Groups
I’m sure you all know about the junior coaching on Saturday mornings but I just wanted to let you know about the
junior coaching after school. These groups are open to both members and non-members with members paying £4 per
hour and non-members paying £5 per hour. If you have children, grandchildren or friends with children, either
members or non-members, and they are interested in having some tennis coaching please don’t hesitate to contact
me. (andrew.cooktennis@btinternet.com). Please find the times of this after-school coaching below:
Monday
16.00-16.45
16.00-17.00
17.00-18.00
17.00-18.00
18.00-19.00
Wednesday
Mini Tennis Red
Mini Tennis Orange
Mini Tennis Green
Yellow Ball Group
Yellow Ball Group
8 & Under
9 & Under
10 & Under
11 & Over
11 & Over
Thursday
17.00-18.00
17.00-18.00
17.00-18.00
17.00-18.00
17.00-18.00
18.00-19.00
Mini Tennis Green
Mini Tennis Green
Performance
Yellow Ball Group
Yellow Ball Group
10 & Under
10 & Under
Yellow Ball Group
Min Tennis Red
Mini Tennis Orange
Yellow Ball Group
11 & Over
8 & Under
9 & Under
11 & Over
11 & Over
11 & Over
Friday
Mini Tennis Red
Performance
Mini Tennis Orange
8 & Under
9 & Under
16.00-17.00
16.45-17.30
17.00-18.00
17.00-18.00
Aegon Team Tennis
This summer we will be entering teams into the Aegon Team Tennis county division in the following age groups:
8 & Under Mixed, 9 & Under Mixed, 10 & Under Mixed, 12 & Under Boys, 16 & Under Boys, 18 & Under Boys and 18
& Under Girls.
The teams usually consist of 2 or 4 players and they play against other teams within the county. We are looking for
volunteer captains to captain the teams. If interested please contact me.
Twinning Association Exchange
We have been approached by the East Preston Twinning Association, who are twinned with Brou near Chartres
Northern France, to challenge them to a Tennis Tournament between 20-23rd June 2014 in Brou. They have asked if
Angmering-on-Sea Lawn Tennis Club could provide a team and also suggest the matches that should be played. The
Team will consist of 4 Men and 4 Ladies plus wives & partners.
The Twinning Association vist Brou alternate years staying as guests. They entertain them throughout the stay. You
will only pay expenses for the journey; this usually amounts to between £100 to £120 travelling by coach or ferry. A
return match would take place in East Preston in 2015. If you are interested or require any further information please
contact Andrew Cook.
On-line Booking
I hope you are enjoying using the on-line booking system; it seems to be a huge success. Here is a bit more
information and a tip about the system.
As I’m sure you have noticed, the slots are in half-hour sessions. This is to reduce court wastage. For instance if one
of the coaches was working 4.00-5.00 and the slots were 90 minutes like before they would have to book courts from
3.00-4.30 and 4.30-6.00 for them just to do that hour. This would mean that there was 1 hour each side of the lesson
which wouldn’t be used and nobody else could book. Similarly, the half-hour slots also allow better use of courts on
Tuesdays and Thursdays during Coffee Mornings.
When using the touch screen please be a little more patient than when using your computer at home as it is not as
quick, but still perfectly useable.
Finally as a tip, after you have booked a court on your mobile, tablet or computer if you press the date and time of
when you have booked it will take you straight back to that day/time so you can book another session if required. If
you have been pressing the home button it would take you back to today’s date.
PREMISES – TONY CHANDLER
Resurfacing work on Court 1 should be completed by April 2014. As some members have slipped on Courts 2/3, we
called in SSP (court maintenance specialists) to assess the conditions. Remedial work was carried out and the courts
are being closely monitored. A maintenance programme will be revised for 2014. Members are reminded to wear
correct footwear and take extra care in wet conditions.
The potholes in the car park and steps to patio have been repaired. Estimates are being sourced for repairs to the
main driveway. New signs have been installed in compliance with risk assessment requirements. Please observe
speed limits and warning signs.
All adult full playing members are entitled to a key to the clubhouse to encourage people to lock up when leaving the
premises unattended. PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF REQUIREMENTS NEEDED BEFORE LOCKING MAIN DOOR.
Keys can be obtained from the premises manager who keeps a log of recipients.
The coffee and vending machines are now my responsibility. Please advise if any faults occur.
Please remember to switch off lights, kitchen equipment and heaters when not required. Do not switch off night
storage heaters.
ENTERTAINMENT – JANE HOW
I thought I would take full advantage of this January newsletter to introduce myself- Jane How, your new
Entertainment Secretary. What is going to make the social activities successful and memorable in 2014 is your
support! So on that note I would like to invite you to write or call me with any suggested social events you would like
me to consider for 2014! My email address is Jane.how@live.com alternatively my mobile number is 07771 713663.
Thanking you in advance, Jane
TEAM TENNIS
We usually put the current positions of our teams in this spot and are doing so here as usual. However, if you wish to
keep yourself updated on how the teams are doing, you can always get the latest news by going onto our new
Angmering-on-Sea Lawn Tennis Club website. Click on “Teams” on the left hand side of the Home Page and you will
be taken to another page where you have a direct link to the LTA results pages. It’s easy!
MEN’S:
1st team 1st out of 8 (M2)
4th team 6th out of 7 (M5)
2nd team 4th out of 8 (M2)
5th team 7th out of 7 (M8W)
3rd team 6th out of 8 (M3)
2nd team 1st out of 7 (L6W)
5th team 2nd out of 6 (L10W)
3rd team 5th out of 7 (L6W)
LADIES’:
1st team 1st out of 6 (L4)
4th team 4th out of 6 (L9W)
MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING - KAREN SELLAR
British Tennis Membership
We are now up to 235 BTMs. If you are a member, please check that your membership is linked to AOSLTC. For
those of you who have not yet signed up, there is a link on the website which takes you straight through to the
application form. The club draw for Wimbledon tickets will be a greater success the more tickets we are allocated.
However, allocation depends on the number of members who are signed up to BTM.
Ball recycling
A further 100 balls were delivered to the Shoreham branch of the Dog's Trust and 100 to The Littlehampton
Academy. Please remember to put unwanted balls in the recycling box.
Club website
The Tennis page of the website now shows details of the tournaments planned for 2014.
Email addresses
If you have not been receiving notices from the club, it might be because your e-mail address has changed since you
joined or renewed your membership. If this is the case, please let Kim know your new e-mail address.
For members without access to the internet, you can find a copy of each notice is on display in the clubhouse.
BAR SECRETARY – PETER O’SHEA
Bar notes
Sunday lunches to enliven the wet and dark winter months, are now up and running. The first one, on 2nd February, is
now fully booked. The next one is scheduled for mid-March so keep a look out on the Club notice board for further
information.
WE NEED BAR STAFF – Please apply. It’s easy and you get to meet everyone! Please contact me on 01903
775403 or leave me a note in the “Bar” pigeonhole. If we can get sufficient volunteers, we plan a midday bar opening
on Saturdays for the Mums & Dads and others who wish to sit in the sun (?) and watch their children playing tennis.
Here’s looking forward to spring!
JUNIOR SECRETARY – KAREN OSBORNE-SHAW
East Preston Awards Evening
On behalf of the Club, I attended the East Preston Festival Awards evening on Tuesday 22nd October where we
received a cheque for £200. Various charities also received an award, but we were in the upper tier for payouts! I did
a thank you speech and explained to everyone that the money would go towards coaching and equipment for the
juniors. I also gave a plug to encourage local children to join!
HON SECRETARY – SUE JOHNSON
EGM
Depending on when this newsletter goes out, you may or may not be aware that we shall shortly be calling an EGM to
discuss the matter of Gift Aiding a part of the money you pay to the Club in your subscription fees. This only applies if
you are a UK tax payer, of course. If members approve the suggestion – it is widely used at other amateur sports
clubs and is completely legitimate – we will raise extra money for the Club and it will not cost members a penny more!
We have been in touch with both HMRC and the Accountants acting on behalf of the LTA and both have agreed that
we are permitted to introduce this scheme for “Gift Aid”. We are able to claim tax on any gift aided payments, and
furthermore we are able to back date the claim by 4 years.
I hope you will feel you can support this proposal and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the EGM.
Please look out for notification shortly if you have not already received it.
Defibrillator
There was a suggestion at the AGM, that the club should get a defibrillator. 2 club members subsequently put together
a folder to present the facts to the Management Committee and to try and persuade them of the need for this. They
also suggested events for fundraising.
The Committee discussed the matter at length at their last meeting and voted unanimously to support the idea. We
shall, therefore, in the next few months, hopefully be holding some events/activities to raise money to allow us to buy
one. We shall need in the region of £800 - £1250. We hope you will support this initiative.
New Club Website
Those of you who have been using the on-line booking system to book your courts, will have seen the new website
that is associated with it. Karen Sellar, the Membership & Marketing Secretary, has spent many hours/days/weeks
setting this up on behalf of the Club. I think you will agree that she has done a great job. It is clearly presented, easy
to navigate your way around and contains useful information. It will be updated regularly and should be a useful
source of information for all members. If you haven’t yet looked at it, I recommend you do so.
Court Etiquette
I have been asked to point out a few things that we should all be aware of, but some people may not be. These are
for the benefit of both fellow club members and our neighbours:
 Hopefully,we all play with enthusiasm and passion but please curb your language and don’t abuse either your
equipment or surroundings. There must be no swearing on court
 Please observe agreed hours of play. Play can start at 8 am, but not before, and must finish by 10 pm.
Floodlights are timed to go out shortly before this to ensure we comply
 Please remove any rubbish from the courts and dispose of it in the appropriate bins
One further thing, not directly related to the courts but important nevertheless: please observe the speed limit of 20
mph on the local estate roads when driving to and from the club and do not park in surrounding roads.