Following a virtual committee meeting earlier in the week I thought it would be nice to keep you updated with the areas which were discussed.

Club House Re Opening

Following the government’s  relaxation on all lock down rules from the 19th July 2021, I am pleased to say that from this date the club house will be open again to all members to use without restriction.

Whilst it is really nice to be moving in the right direction can I please ask that we all use common sense in regards to the use of the club house and always make sure we clean anything that is used and be considerate at all times.

Club Tournament

Following the success of last year’s  tournament where we used a ‘play by date’ system, we have decided that we will again use this format for this year’s  tournament although we will have a fixed date for semi-finals & finals where the club house will be open for refreshments etc. Further information regarding dates will be sent out shortly.

Constitution

I know you will probably be bored about hearing about this but we are now at the final draft stage and should be in a position to share the new version with members soon before this is presented at an EGM. Apologies as it has been very long winded and I have mentioned this many times but we are getting there!

Ratings Tournament

The annual ratings tournament will be taking place between the 19th – 23rd July and so please be aware that during daytime hours there will be less court time than usual available. Due to COVID the previous two tournaments we were planning to host have been cancelled  and so it is great to have this going ahead.

We have ensured that some court time is still available to members on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday mornings of that week and we will of course release more spaces if possible once numbers are finalised.

The ratings tournament brings in a very good income to the club and is a great opportunity for our juniors tournament at their home ground! Good luck to all of those that enter.

Grounds

Many thanks to Paul for organising the recent work party and to all the helpers that kindly gave up their time.

We have had a problem with one of the floodlights on court 5. I can confirm that this light will be fixed shortly and at the same time we have arranged for warning lights to be fitted to courts 4-6 to provide a 5 minute warning for when the floodlights will switch off like we have on courts 1-3. 

We continue to look at options in regards to the new fence but remain committed to doing this. Further advices to follow.

Events

We previously mentioned that Neil P & Joe G had kindly offered to run a singles league. This will be a great opportunity for new members to meet other players as well as providing existing players of ALL abilities an opportunity to play singles more competitively. Details will be sent out shortly once leagues are confirmed. Contact details were sent in the earlier email. Pleas get in touch if you need them again.

Gary has also kindly offered to organise some Speed Tennis events. These normally will be held on Saturday afternoons where courts are typically not heavily booked. These events normally involve an hour’s tennis (2 or 3 matches) followed by a BBQ and the bar will also be open. Initially this will be for singles for players of all abilities but if this does prove to be popular we will look to introduce this for doubles as well.

Now restrictions have been relaxed we can also now begin to plan ways to celebrate the club’s  75th Year. More details/dates will follow soon.

I hope this gives everyone an overview of what was discussed but as always if anyone has any questions then please do contact me.

Take care and I look forward to seeing you all at the club soon.

Martin 

Chairman OGTC

As we move forward into the next stages of the government relaxation of lockdown rules, please follow the link below to see the updated guidance provided by the LTA in regards to tennis activity with effect from the 17th May 2021:

www.lta.org.uk/globalassets/news/2021/summary-grid—permitted-tennis-activity.pdf

SUMMARY OF CHANGE FOR OADBY:

• Most importantly, care should always be taken to follow social distancing and government guidance in relation to the prevention of the spread of Covid-19.
• Social Mix Ins will now resume. Please note that mix ins are now available on Tuesday & Thursday mornings along with Monday & Wednesday (courts permitting) evenings. Please note that we will assess the take up for these sessions and will book an appropriate number of courts in line with the number of people who are attending. For information on attending mix ins please message Martin on 07968 913910.
• We will now open the club house for limited use. Current arrangements will be relaxed for specific access to the kitchen and bar for drinks, etc. but to be served outside only. Access will only for be for 1 to 2 persons please and will be controlled by a engaged/ not engaged sign on the clubhouse door. Anybody using the kitchen/ bar is asked to clean any areas used before and after use. In addition, a mask should be worn when inside the clubhouse. Please return any glasses, mugs etc to the kitchen and wash after use. Bottles/cans should all be returned for our usual recycling. 
• Toilets will of course remain open. Changing facilities and showers continue to be closed.
• Spectating of matches is now permitted with a maximum capacity of 4,000 (I think we should be ok for this!). All spectating must be outside of the club house and social distancing should be followed at all times.
• The one way system remains in place. Please do not stand to spectate behind courts 1-3 as previously advised.

Whilst it is really nice to be moving into the next stages of returning to normality I would again stress the importance of making every effort to keep each other safe at all times. Please follow the guidelines that have been sent to you on a number of occasions and if you do have any concerns at all then please contact me immediately.

OTHER MATTERS:

We recently held a virtual committee meeting via Zoom. The majority of this meeting did revolve around the upcoming full opening of the club house (hopefully in June) but we did also discuss a number of other matters.

Grounds

Paul/Derek have continued to work hard to keep everything in good order. A special mention also to Yvonne and Gordan S who have contributed with the lovely flowers we now have.

We will soon arrange a working party for those of you that have helper hours to do. We will wait until full restrictions are lifted before this happens.

We have continued to look at quotes for the security fence and are awaiting further quotes for the gates to accompany these. Further updates will follow soon.

Constitution

A number of the committee have now made draft amendments to the constitution. Once these have been typed and re checked they will then move to the next legal stage of checking these over. This is a time consuming job but we are getting there.

Club Tournament

We are approaching the time where we need to start thinking about organising the club tournament. Due to lockdown we ran this differently last year with events having to be played by certain dates rather than on particular days. A few suggestions have been made but I will arrange to send out a survey to members to see what most would prefer to do. If anyone would like to help organise the tournament, please get in touch.

Membership

Gary updated the committee with our current membership numbers, which are approaching 400 and are looking particularly healthy especially for this time of year. Many thanks to Gary for his hard work on this as this year in particular has seen a lot more admin than usual.

75th Anniversary

I have mentioned before that it is the clubs 75th anniversary this year. Whilst it has been a really difficult time we are really keen to try to celebrate this as best as we can and are planning a couple of events later in the Summer (possibly a tea party, BBQ etc depending on restrictions). If you have any ideas or would like to be involved in helping then please let me know.

Team Tennis

Team matches have returned and we have had a large number of both senior and junior members involved. Good luck to everyone that has or will be representing Oadby and thanks to Niall and George for their hard work in scheduling the fixtures.

I hope this gives you an overview of where we are at with things at the club. We always welcome feedback and suggestions so please get in touch with us if there is anything you would like to raise.

Please stay safe and I look forward to seeing you all enjoying your tennis at the club.

Martin

Chairman

Most senior members (and quite a few juniors) will know David as he was a member of the club for many years. He was a key member of the team of volunteers who built the clubhouse in the 1980s, a past Chairman, captain of the men’s first team and always a very strong and enthusiastic supporter of the club. He especially enjoyed watching the Men’s 1st team play their matches, both home and away. There was always the feeling, even in recent years, that if they were ever one player short, he’d happily pick up a racquet and play!

He will be very much missed at the club and our thoughts go to his wife, Anne,  and his family at this very sad time.

A tribute to David Straker

Further to my email last week and following on from last nights virtual committee meeting, I am delighted to say that the club will be re-opening on Monday 29th March. Please follow the link below which provides an update from the LTA in regards to what play is permitted from this date:

www.lta.org.uk/globalassets/news/2021/summary-grid—permitted-tennis-activity.pdf

Whilst we are all of course delighted to have a date back for playing, it is vitally important that we all continue to take sensible measures when playing at the club.

Below is an updated list of conditions that must be followed at all times to ensure safe play:

• Social play for both singles and doubles is permitted with effect from Monday 29th March 2021 and must follow the Rule of 6.
• Please do not visit the club at any point before this date. Only members of the committee undertaking maintenance work in preparation for the club re-opening are allowed on the premises.
• Coaching is permitted with effect from Monday 29th March 2021 for individual, adult and junior sessions. Adult coaching must not exceed 12 adults per court and junior coaching must be restricted to a maximum group size of 15.
• All play is subject to any travel restrictions into or out of the area that may be in place. Please ensure there are no restrictions in place that would prevent you travelling to the club.
• Playing at the club can only be done by booking a court through Clubspark. Further information on booking courts will be covered later in this email along with membership.
• On arrival please only enter by the patio or grass area where social distancing of 2 metres can be maintained.
• When leaving please leave by the passageway between the building and the courts. Please do not stand at any time in the passageway, this will ensure we can have a safe flow around the club.
• We would ask members to use the NHS covid-19 test and trace app by checking in on the QR code displayed on the clubhouse window.
• Please finish playing 5 minutes before your actual finish time to ensure there is no cross over between bookings. If playing on clay, please also consider that time will be needed for you to sweep the courts. 
• Please do not enter any court until it is clear and available to be used.

• Social distancing – nothing has changed in this respect. Continue to observe a minimum distance of 2 metres and please leave the club promptly after you have finished playing.
• Please make sure you have washed/sanitised your hands before you arrive at the club and after play. Please also consider wearing a glove when sweeping the clay courts or at least sanitising your hands immediately after sweeping.
• Please notify the committee through info@oadbytennis.co.uk and/or contact a committee member immediately if you have a positive coronavirus test following play at the club.
• Follow government guidelines/rules on the government website when you show any symptoms of covid-19 or if you test positive for covid-19.  
• The club house will remain closed apart from access to the toilets, which has to be used strictly with one person only entering the changing rooms at any time. There will be a cone placed in the reception area, so if you do enter the changing rooms can you please block off the entrance using the cone as an indicator that the changing rooms are in use. Once you have finished, please place the cone back out of the way of the door. Showers must not be used for the time being. 
• We will continue for the time being to restrict play to members only.

I would again stress that these conditions must be followed at all times. It is all of our responsibilities to make the club as safe as possible but if anyone does have any particular concerns then please do let me know.

MEMBERSHIP
2021 Membership Form

As part of the meeting we also discussed this years membership, which has been particularly difficult to administer with us being in lockdown during the renewal period.

We have now calculated the annual fees, which will of course reflect all of the time that the club has not been available for play. Gary will email all of the details out in the next couple of days and will provide you with all the information you need in regards to booking courts and allocations. I would ask everyone to keep an eye out for this email and respond with membership renewals as soon as possible.

OTHER MATTERS

Whilst last nights meeting was mainly about the re-opening of the club, members of the committee also gave some updates on other things that have been going on during lockdown.

I am pleased to say the post pad protectors have been ordered and hopefully should be in place by the time you are all back on court. Paul has also treated all of the moss patches on the court, which is now dying down and we are starting to see a difference. I am going to meet Paul at the weekend to help with further cleaning of the courts and to fix some of the fencing at the back of courts 1-3 which needs some attention.

You will also notice further signage has been put up at the club to help with the one way system. Thanks again to Paul and Derek for organising this and to Mike Minski for helping with the design work for the signs.

In regards to the proposed fencing that was discussed at the AGM, we have now received quotations for this and are looking over these for consideration. These will of course be shared with all members before any decision is made to proceed, however we do need to give this serious thought from a financial point of view as the clubs income will be reduced considerably this year due to the reduction in membership fees.

In regards to team tennis we are waiting for further information from the competitions committee as to how/when leagues might possibly run this year. Niall (Seniors) & George (Juniors) are waiting for an update and will inform everyone that wants to get involved with playing team tennis once we know more.

Alex, along with the rest of the committee, has been working on updating the clubs constitution as advised at the AGM. Many thanks to Alex as this has been a very time consuming job but I am pleased to say we are making progress and I will keep you informed with the progress of this as we move along.

I hope that provides you with an update of where we are. We are now only a few weeks away and will be busy making sure that everything is ready for you when we are able to get back on court. It has been a tough year and your ongoing support of the club is really much appreciated, we look forward to seeing you all back soon!

Best wishes

Martin

Chairman

Following on from the announcement made by the government earlier this evening and advice provided by the LTA the club will be closed from Tuesday 5^th January 2021 for all tennis activities. This means that no members should use the courts or any facilities at any time until further notice and all court bookings will be cancelled. Please do not visit the club for any reason.

LTA Update: www.lta.org.uk/about-us/tennis-news/news-and-opinion/general-news/2020/march/coronavirus-covid-19—latest-advice/

I hoped after last year that I would never have to write another email with news like this. Please stay patient and let’s hope I am able to send a more positive message in a few weeks time.

In these most challenging of times please do stay safe and look after each other.

Best wishes

Martin

Chairman OGTC

Following confirmation today that Leicester and Leicestershire have both been placed in Tier 4 restrictions, please find a link below to an update provided by the LTA along with a summary grid which outlines what play is allowed at the club.

Link:  www.lta.org.uk/globalassets/news/2020/local-restrictions-grid—tennis-activity-by-tier.pdf?category=Playing_Tennis_COVID19_Guidance

Here is a brief summary of what is allowed along with our rules for safe play at the club:

RULES FOR SAFE PLAY AT OADBY GRANVILLE TENNIS CLUB

• Social play is now restricted to singles only (other than those from the same household/bubble) with effect from Thursday 31^st December 2020.

• Individual coaching sessions are allowed but travel restrictions into and out of the area apply (e.g. No one from tier 3 would be allowed to travel in to tier 4 for coaching)

• Group Adult coaching is no longer permitted with effect from Thursday 31st December 2020.  Junior coaching is allowed but must be restricted to a maximum group size of 15 and with a maximum of one parent/guardian being in attendance.

• All play is subject to travel restrictions into or out of the area.

• Playing at the club can only be done by booking a court through ClubSpark.

• All existing court bookings will stay in place up until the 11^th January 2020 on Clubspark but must only be used for singles play as defined above. Please cancel any court bookings no longer required and/or amend bookings to one hour if two hours are no longer required.

• On arrival please only enter by the patio or grass area where social distancing of 2 metres can be maintained.

• When leaving, please leave by the passageway between the building and the courts. Please do not stand at any time in the passageway, this will ensure we can have a safe flow around the club.

• We would ask members to use the NHS covid-19 test and trace app by checking in on the QR code displayed on the clubhouse window.

• From the 11^th January 2021 bookings will be available for 1 hour slots with each member having an allocation of 3 bookings per week. These will continue to run for 55 minutes to ensure there is no cross over between bookings. If playing on clay, please also consider time will be needed for you to sweep the courts.

• Social distancing – nothing has changed in this respect. Continue to observe a minimum distance of 2 meters and please leave the club promptly after you have finished playing.

• Please make sure you have washed/sanitised your hands before you arrive at the club and after play. Please also consider wearing a glove when sweeping the clay courts or at least sanitising your hands before and after sweeping.

• If you or any member of your household have shown any symptoms of Covid-19 or believe you may have been in contact with someone who has then please do not come to the club.

• Please notify the committee through info@oadbytennis.co.uk and/or contact a committee member immediately if you have a positive coronavirus test following play at the club.
• Follow government guidelines/ rules on the government website when you show any symptoms of covid-19 or if you test positive for covid-19.  Link: NHS Test and Trace: how it works – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• The club house will remain closed apart from access to the toilets, which has to be used strictly with one person only entering the changing rooms at any time. There will be a cone placed in the reception area, if you do enter the changing rooms can you please block off the entrance using the cone as an indicator that the changing rooms are in use. Once you have finished, please place the cone back out of the way of the door.

• All play is restricted to members only.

I know for a lot of people this news will be upsetting as getting out, keeping fit and seeing our friends has really helped us during this horrible year and difficult time over the Christmas period. With infection rates dramatically increasing it is absolutely essential that we all play our part and follow the above rules as we all have a responsibility to help each other to keep each other safe. If anyone is unsure about any of the above or would like to raise any points in regards to this then please do contact me.

George will email out to parents separately in regards to junior coaching but I would again remind all parents to follow the one way system and to correctly social distance as detailed above. We have witnessed a number of parents not following these rules and it is not acceptable to put other people’s health at risk by not doing so. Quite simply if these are not adhered to we will have no option but to cancel junior coaching.

Please be careful, stay safe and well.

Best wishes

Martin 

Following confirmation today that Leicester and Leicestershire have both been placed in tier 3 restrictions, please find a link below to an update provided by the LTA along with a summary grid which outlines what play is allowed at the club.

Link:  Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Latest advice | LTA

Here is a brief summary of what is allowed along with our rules for safe play at the club:

RULES FOR SAFE PLAY AT OADBY GRANVILLE TENNIS CLUB

• Social play for both singles and doubles is permitted with effect from Wednesday 2^nd December 2020 and must follow the Rule of 6.
• Coaching is permitted with effect from Wednesday 2^nd December 2020 for individual, adult and junior sessions. Adult coaching must not exceed 12 adults per court and junior coaching must be restricted to a maximum group size of 15.
• All play is subject to travel restrictions into or out of the area. No players from a tier 2 area will be allowed to travel to play at the club.
• Please follow this link for full government guidance in regards to travel: Local restriction tiers: what you need to know – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Playing at the club can only be done by booking a court through Clubspark.
• On arrival please only enter by the patio or grass area where social distancing of 2 metres can be maintained.
• When leaving please leave by the passageway between the building and the courts. Please do not stand at any time in the passageway, this will ensure we can have a safe flow around the club.
• We would ask members to use the NHS covid-19 test and trace app by checking in on the QR code displayed on the clubhouse window.
• Court bookings will now open at 7.30am rather than 12.01am. The booking system will be reactivated at 7.30am on Friday 27^th November 2020 for court bookings.
• Every member will have an allocation of 3 one hour bookings per week.
• Please finish playing 5 minutes before your actual finish time to ensure there is no cross over between bookings. If playing on clay, please also consider that time will be needed for you to sweep the courts. 

• Social distancing –  nothing has changed in this respect. Continue to observe a minimum distance of 2 meters and please leave the club promptly after you have finished playing.
• Please make sure you have washed/sanitised your hands before you arrive at the club and after play. Please also consider wearing a glove when sweeping the clay courts or at least sanitising your hands immediately after sweeping.
•  If you or any member of your household have shown any symptoms of Covid-19 or believe you may have been in contact with someone who has then please do not come to the club.
• Please notify the committee through info@oadbytennis.co.uk and/or contact a committee member immediately if you have a positive coronavirus test following play at the club.
• Follow government guidelines/ rules on the government website when you show any symptoms of covid-19 or if you test positive for covid-19.  Link: NHS Test and Trace: how it works – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• The club house will remain closed apart from access to the toilets, which has to be used strictly with one person only entering the changing rooms at any time. There will be a cone placed in the reception area, so if you do enter the changing rooms can you please block off the entrance using the cone as an indicator that the changing rooms are in use. Once you have finished, please place the cone back out of the way of the door. Showers must not be used for the time being. 
• We will continue for the time being to restrict play to members only.

It has been a very difficult time for everyone and being able to get back playing tennis will be a relief for a lot of people. It is absolutely essential that we all play our part and follow the above rules. As always our priority is the health of our members and we all have a responsibility to help each other to keep each other safe. If anyone is unsure about any of the above or would like to raise any points in regards to this then please do contact me. 

We are currently working on a schedule as to when junior coaching will return. George will of course update everyone on this once a decision has been made.

It will be lovely to see you back at the club soon. Until then, please stay safe and well.

Best wishes

Martin

Chairman

Oadby (Granville) Tennis & Social Club

Further to my email earlier in the week, unfortunately I am writing to confirm that, following the new national restrictions that are due to come in to force , we will be closing the club to all members from Thursday 5th November until further notice. All court bookings after today have now been cancelled.

For absolute clarity this means there should be no play of any kind, not between households, singles play or any coaching. The club should not be visited for any purposes during the period for which it is closed. The only people permitted on the grounds are those on the committee or service providers to continue essential maintenance for the courts and club house.

A statement from the LTA regarding on the required closure of tennis clubs can be found via this link, together with a statement from the LTA’s Chief Executive, Scott Lloyd.
https://www.lta.org.uk/about-us/tennis-news/news-and-opinion/general-news/2020/march/coronavirus-covid-19—latest-advice/

Whilst this is of course very disappointing for all of us, we must abide by the law and continue to take all preventive measures to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

Our health is without doubt the most important thing during these difficult times and so please be careful and stay safe. Please do stay positive and let’s hope to be back on the courts soon.

I will continue to provide further updates when available.

Take care.

Martin
Chairman
OGTC

Oadby Tennis Club Covid Risk Assessment 26 Oct 2020

Oadby (Granville)Tennis and Social Club

74th Annual General Meeting

Date : Wednesday 28th October 2020 at 7.00 p.m.

Venue : To be held by zoom

Agenda

1. Chairman’s Welcome
2. Apologies for absence
3. Acceptance of the Minutes of the 2019 AGM
4. Matters arising from the Minutes
5. Chairman’s Report
6. Committee Reports
7. Acceptance of Accounts for year ending 30 June 2020
8. Election of committee for 2020/201
9. Any other business