Sport for Good at Orchard Tennis Club

Orchard Tennis Club of Blakemere Road, WGC, was delighted to recently hold its 13th Annual Charity Tournament in memory of popular member Stuart West. This year the nominated charity was Herts Young Homeless which provides support to 16 to 24 year olds who are homeless or threatened with homelessness in Hertfordshire.

The day opened with an amusing and informative address from the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, Annie Brewster, emphasising the role of sport in helping the community, followed by an introduction to HYH from Nicola McKinnon who highlighted the problems faced by homeless young people and the services provided by HYH, ranging from early intervention to crisis support.  Also present were the Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield, Councillor Frank Marsh, his predecessor Councillor Pankit Shah and Councillor Leo Gilbert.

Four teams, captained by Stuart’s widow Sue and his children James and Danielle, and by Adam Reid, competed for the Stuart West Trophy in a mixed doubles handicap event arranged by Club President, Dave Wesson.  Each team played a total of 12 matches.  At the end of the competition, James West’s team proved victorious by a small margin, demonstrating the accuracy of the handicaps.  Refreshment stalls and a barbecue enabled the players to sustain their energy and the quality of tennis throughout the day.

Club President Dave Wesson commented “We were lucky with the weather and an enjoyable day of tennis was had by all. The activities and generous donations from our members and guests enabled our Charity Day to raise a fantastic amount of £800 for the excellent charity Herts Young Homeless”.