Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, a national tennis charity that serves tennis to disabled people, has received an early Christmas present in the form of a grant of £10,000 from the Tennis Foundation to support the continuation of its work in the wake of the impact of COVID
The donation is part of over £100,000 being distributed by the Tennis Foundation to complement the LTA’s overall support for the sport to help those who have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and recognises the crucial role charities such as Dan Maskell Tennis Trust play in the delivery of tennis in Britain. It also reflects an understanding of the difficult position all charities are in at the moment, and the particular challenges that this year has created for them and the people they support.
The Trust supports all types of disability for those who wish to play tennis. This includes young people and adults, both in organised programmes and as individuals from all groups. The Trust provides specialist tennis wheelchairs to individuals and tennis venues, support for disability tennis programmes in all areas of the United Kingdom via supply of equipment and funding for such things as court hire and coaching. The grant will be used for the Trust’s grant aid programme to ensure the charity can maintain its level of support to disabled people who play tennis.
Sue Wolstenholme, OBE, Chairman of the Trust said: “Dan Maskell Tennis Trust is absolutely delighted to be supported by the Tennis Foundation with a charity support package. Like all charities, our fundraising has been severely restricted by the pandemic, however tennis has been one of the luckier sports in opening up and our work has continued throughout the various restrictions. The demand for financial support from disabled tennis players has continued on similar levels and this generous donation will help the Trust to continue its work in encouraging disabled people to keep fit and healthy through tennis”
Dan Maskell Tennis Trust is one of 13 tennis charities selected to receive grant funding. Much of the work done by the charities aligns with the LTA’s and Tennis Foundation’s shared vision to open tennis up to new audiences, and their drive to break down barriers and change perceptions so that tennis in Britain is truly seen as a sport for all, wherever you live, whatever your background and no matter your ability or disability.
Tim Lawler, Tennis Foundation Chair, said: “We are really pleased to be able to add our support to the LTA’s efforts to help those involved in our sport who have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic by making these charitable funds held by the Tennis Foundation available to such a range of wonderful charities at this time of need, including Dan Maskell Tennis Trust
“It is hard to underestimate the individual and collective contribution they make to the lives of people across the country, and to our sport more broadly. Our evolving strategy for the Tennis Foundation is very much focused on supporting activity for disadvantaged communities, ethnically diverse communities and disabled people, groups that are very much at the heart of what these charities do. We therefore want to do all we can to ensure they emerge from this period able to continue to do their valuable work, and are in a position to play their part in contributing to the vision we and the LTA have for tennis in Britain to grow the sport in the coming years.”
The provision of charitable funds by the Tennis Foundation to tennis charities follows on from the LTA’s wider support for those involved in the sport. Earlier this year the governing body committed to delivering a significant and comprehensive support package of financial and non-financial measures, designed to ensure clubs and venues remain viable and players, coaches and officials are not lost to our sport.
Scott Lloyd, LTA CEO, said: “Like all sport, tennis in Britain, has been severely impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The LTA itself has been impacted too, and we know that many involved in the sport have been and continue to be concerned about their futures and are facing real challenges.
“It is great to be working collaboratively with the Tennis Foundation and its Trustees so that this crucial support is provided to charities such as Dan Maskell Tennis Trust as a further strand of our overall support measures for tennis in Britain, and in recognition of the vital contribution that these charities each make to our sport. For these charities to continue to operate and thrive is essential if we are to realise the ambitions we have to grow our sport in 2021 and beyond.”
Following the integration of its previous activities into the LTA at the end of 2018, the Tennis Foundation is an independent charity operating as a grant giving entity, under the direction of a newly appointed board of trustees. The charities selected to receive grants as part of this support to combat the impact of the coronavirus are a reflection of its evolving strategy, being developed in line with its shared vision with the LTA to open tennis in Britain up to new audiences.
For the general release issued by the Tennis Foundation click HERE
