About Us
Welcome to Austwick Tennis Club
The most beautiful tennis courts in Britain? Well some visitors have been kind enough to say so and certainly our location in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales in the village of Austwick is idyllic.
Players of all kinds are welcome and our subscriptions, based on £40 per annum for seniors and £6 per annum for juniors, with discounts for families, are amongst the lowest in the district. We have two hard courts, use of a multi-use games area, shared with other sports which can be used as a third court at busy times and for matches. There is also a separate practice wall, and the use of a pavilion.
League tennis
For the summer of 2021 we had teams in all three divisions of the Wharfedale Mixed Doubles League and a women’s team in the Bradford Park League. We also have well-attended social tennis sessions throughout the year and we can provide regular competitive tennis for players at all levels. We also have two teams in the Lancaster and Morecambe Winter Vets League playing teams across the region on weekday afternoons (our home fixtures are on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1pm).
Social play
We play social tennis (weather permitting ) on Sunday mornings 10am – 12 noon and Wednesday afternoons 1pm -3.30pm and a group titled the MonFris play social tennis from 9.30 a.m. on Monday and Friday mornings throughout the year. Potential members are welcome to join us for any of these sessions. The membership fees include provision of balls for social play.
Changing facilities
Whilst we have use of the Playing Fields Association pavilion, which includes both toilet and catering facilities, there are no dedicated changing facilities or showers at the club and most players turn up ready to play. However where necessary the two toilets can be used as individual changing rooms.
Safeguarding policy and supervision of children
In line with our membership of the LTA we aim at all times to act in line with the British Tennis Safeguarding Policy. In January 2022 we adopted our own safeguarding policy, based on the British Tennis template. You can read our policy here: Austwick Tennis Club Safeguarding Policy
Coaching sessions for under 18s are led and undertaken by a registered LTA coach who is required to have completed appropriate safeguarding training and an appropriate Criminal Records Bureau check.
Under 18s using the courts to play recreational tennis are not supervised by Austwick Tennis Club as it is an unstaffed tennis club.
Under 18s playing league tennis matches will be supervised by adults and will only be transported to away matches where there is more than one adult in the vehicle
Diversity and inclusion policy
In line with our membership of the LTA we have now adopted our own diversity and inclusion policy, based on the British Tennis template. You can read the full policy here: Diversity and inclusion policy
Subscriptions
Annual subscriptions – April to March – are £40 for individuals with reductions for family membership and juniors. You can download an application form with more details on the How to Join section of this website.
From mid-September to mid-April we have access to an indoors court at Giggleswick School for one and a half hours on Wednesday, and Sunday nights. The additional cost is around £7.50 per player per session and members organise their own four on a rota basis.
If you are interested just come along to any of the events at Austwick and give it a try without obligation. Or go to the “How to Join” section of this website for more information about joining.
Committee and organisation
For the 2021/2022 year the club officers are:
Officers – Chair Mike Smith; Secretary Jo Martin; Treasurer Robert Burdett.
Committee members – Graham Jarvis, Stephen Dew, Robert Burdett, Marco Frik, Chris Gledhill, Geoff Blinkhorn, Pam Mueller and Robert Bellfield.
Safeguarding officer Robert Bellfield
Representative on Austwick Playing Fields Association Anna Howarth
Team captains and organisers
Ladies Beccy Bullock;
Mixed Teams ‘A’ – Maro Frik; ‘B’ – Pam Mueller and Jo Martin; ‘C’ – Jean Hall
Winter Vets – Austwick Curlews Jo Lowery, Austwick Cuckoos Mike Smith