Somer Valley Tennis has been named the winner of the Connecting Communities Award by Avon Tennis and Lawn Tennis Association for the South and South West for 2022.

The LTA-backed award is based on criteria such as community engagement, positive social impact and making tennis safe, welcoming, accessible and inclusive.

Somer Valley was put forward with other county winners to a regional judging panel for the South and South-West and were successful at the regional judging panel in April. These awards recognise and champion the people who deliver tennis locally in their communities

Somer Valley Tennis are the resident club based at Writhlington Tennis Centre and are also the court operators for Farrington Gurney, Farmborough and Timsbury, plus access the courts at Chilcompton.

Mandy Stonier, Chair of Somer Valley Tennis, said, “This is an amazing award for a small club such as ours, to be recognised nationally is acknowledgement for all the hard work that the SVT committee and trustees, plus the village trustees and volunteers put in, maintaining and managing the courts for the residents and local community to use”.

Somer Valley Tennis achieved charitable status in 2022 and are looking to move forwards by increasing its membership plus looking at other opportunities around the Somer Valley area to bring tennis further into the community.

Rachael Perryman and Mandy Stonier attended Queens Club In West Kensington, London on 20th June to collect the regional prestigious award.

Rachael is the safeguarding officer for the club and the venues that the club operate, and with outstanding attention to detail and ensuring policies and procedures are up to date, Somer Valley can operate a safe and welcoming environment for its junior members.

Rachael said, “SVT allows junior members from age thirteen years and upwards. It is my job as a volunteer to ensure they can play tennis with other adults in a friendly and safe environment”.

If you are interested in playing tennis for fun, visit: https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/TennisInSomerValley or find Somer Valley Tennis on social media.

Mandy Stonier