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 £50 per annum for seniors and £8 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 2023 we have two teams in 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, Tuesday 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 in the summer (the same time on Thursdays in the winter). A group titled the MonFris play social tennis from 10 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. This was updated in spring 2023 You can read our policy here: Safeguarding Policy May 2023
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 £50 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.
Committee and organisation
For the 2023/2024 year the club officers are:
Officers – Chair Mike Smith; Secretary Jo Martin; Treasurer Robert Burdett.
Committee members – Graham Jarvis, Marco Frik, Chris Gledhill, Anna Howarth, Graeme Mutch 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’ – Graeme Mutch
Winter Vets – Austwick Curlews Jo Lowery, Austwick Cuckoos Graeme Mutch, Austwick Chiffchaffs Mike Smith
Constitution
You can read the full club constitution as adopted at the annual general meeting on 20 November 2023 here: