Wolverhampton tennis club celebrates centenary with vintage tea party and tournament
A Wolverhampton tennis club has celebrated its 100th anniversary by hosting a vintage tea party and tournament for members and their families.
On Sunday, May 12, members of Linden Lea Tennis Club, which is situated within the grounds of the Wolves Football Training Academy on Compton Park, decorated the club in bunting and dressed in vintage white tennis outfits for the day.
The younger members of the club enjoyed a bouncy castle and the coach, Ryan Evans (We Do Tennis), kept families busy with fun tennis activities on the courts.
Special visitors to the event included the Mayor and Mayoress of Wolverhampton, Councillor Dr Michael Hardacre and Ms Lynn Plant and also one of the Molineux greats, Mr John Richards.
After enjoying a special buffet lunch, members enjoyed ice cream from James Ices and a glass of Pimms or two. During the afternoon a fastest serve competition took place and members also got the chance to play tennis with old wooden rackets. The day concluded with an American tournament.
A raffle, tombola and cake stall raised over £400 for two charities, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and Wolverhampton Samaritans, in memory of two friends of the club sadly lost this year.
There will be further celebratory events throughout the year, including a barbecue and centenary dinner. The club is also proud to be joining Wolverhampton’s Sporting Hall of Fame, with a ceremony to mark their induction planned for October.
Rachel Marks, club secretary said: "I’ve been a member for around three years now, everyone is so friendly, like a second family! We play social mix-in tennis three mornings a week and there are several social events throughout the year. The club also has teams playing in both the Staffordshire and Kidderminster tennis leagues."
Club member Mick Smith added: "Being a member of LLTC means a warm and friendly welcome. Players of all levels ensure me to play at my optimum level. Other players will always offer tips for improvement if asked."
By Rachel Marks - Contributor
