Dear Fishbourne Tennis Club member
Your FTC committee hopes you are well and enjoying some great tennis at our brilliant club. Here’s a brief rundown on the latest at FTC, including important information about changes to court access…
Finals Day, Saturday 9 September
All are welcome at the club’s biggest day of the year. Bring family and friends and enjoy tense tennis action on all four courts as players aged 17 to 70 battle for the club’s top trophies. Enjoy a bbq lunch and glass of Pimms (bring cash) – and free ice creams! It all kicks off from around 10.00 Saturday 9 September – or the Sunday if it’s wet.
Court lock number changing
We have some new, easier to read combination locks for the courts and these will be operational with a new number from 13.00 on Sunday 10 September. The new number is: xxxx. Please do your bit to ensure it is not made public knowledge.
Family tennis day is back!
Sunday afternoons at Fishbourne are the time the whole family can enjoy some fun tennis with the return of the club’s popular family tennis days. Two courts are being reserved on Sunday afternoons between 14.00-16.00 beginning Sunday 17 September. All ages and abilities are welcome at these mix-ins. Don’t forget FTC adult membership means kids go free! In addition, members are invited to invite potential new members and their kids for free to give them a tennis taster. With thanks to member Gemma Marchant for this great new initiative.
New balls please for the ball machine
New balls are on their way for the ball machine along with a new keeper of this much-valued free member benefit. Steve Bailey has stepped forward to take over from Brian Fitch in looking after the club’s SlingerBag ball-feeder. Contact Steve at [email protected] for a free demo if you do not already know how to use it. Remember ball machine balls are a special type and should not be mixed up with other balls.
Gardening Club getting stuck in
Eighteen members have put their names down for the FTC Gardening Club and their efforts, along with those of groundsman Gordon, have already made a difference. The next big tidy-up will be on Thursday 7 September. Helpers are also required for Finals Day set up of the club’s new marquee on Friday 8 September from 17.00. Free drink for all helpers!
Barn Dance Friday 8 September from 19.30
Kick off Finals Day weekend by learning to barn dance at the Fishbourne Centre on Friday 8 September. All tennis players are welcome; why not get up a group of FTC members? Music is being provided by the Skinner Rats and calling all the dance moves will be the Amazing Harry. Tickets, just £6, from the centre.
Jamfest 2023 comes to Fishbourne
Jamfest is a one-day live music event and family fun day on the Fishbourne playing fields from 12.00 to 21.00 on Saturday 16 September. Bands include the Jazz Bandits, Tickling the Pickle and Atomic Badger. Bars, food stalls and a fairground complete the festival vibe. Tickets available from the Fishbourne Centre.
And finally, some house-keeping…
- Well done everyone for ensuring all courts and the clubhouse are locked shut if not in use. All FTC members share in the responsibility to keep the club secure, and it is vital we all take this seriously.
- See the attached FTC General Information sheet (also up in the clubhouse and on the website) for all the latest club information including details of all the mix-in sessions; note the Sunday afternoon mix-ins are now on Court 2 only.
- Going into autumn, the heaters in the clubhouse will come into their own but leaving them on unnecessarily does nothing to reduce our already sky-rocketing electricity costs. Please be sensible!
- And no banana skins (or other organic matter) in the clubhouse recycling bin!
- Recycle all your old balls, and at the same time earn money for the club, by depositing them in the special bin in the clubhouse.
- Responding to member feedback, new balls will henceforth be provided for every Saturday mix-in session, the decision taken at a recent committee meeting guest-chaired by Simone Head. The next meeting will be on Thursday 16 November at 18.30 and as always members can attend and contribute, just email us first.
Best wishes from the FTC committee
