Elliswick LTC Newsletter – May 2026
Welcome to our May Newsletter.
We’ve enjoyed a wonderful spell of sunshine and it’s been fantastic to see our beautifully maintained courts so well used — from the start of the Annual Club Tournament and the summer team matches to plenty of relaxed general play. We also hope you’ve been taking a moment to enjoy our lovely garden. The flowers planted and cared for by Dave Watkinson are looking stunning, and he has worked incredibly hard to create a little oasis for members and visitors to enjoy.
It’s been a busy month at the club, as outlined below, and we have a lot coming up in June and July.
ANNUAL CLUB TOURNAMENT – FINALS DAY SATURDAY 20th JUNE 2026
With back up day being 21st June 2026
Congratulations to all those players who have made it through their initial round(s). At this point it is imperative that all matches are played by the deadline dates, to allow further rounds to be arranged and played on time.
Please see the deadline dates as follows:
QUARTER FINALS: 30th May and 5th JUNE
SEMI FINALS: 15th JUNE
Matches are to be played by the dates stated above. Failure to do this will result in one or both players/pairs being withdrawn from the tournament. Courts are prioritised for tournament matches at certain times – in particular, a court will be available for booking (only for match purposes), on Tuesday and Thursday nights during the tournament period. Please contact Andree Haxton at [email protected] if you wish to book a court during those times.
If any players are encountering difficulty scheduling matches by the deadline, please don’t let it just slip – contact the Tournament Secretary, Louise Behan ([email protected]), asap.
We are looking for several volunteers to help out on Finals Day. Please let Andree Haxton know at [email protected] if you are able to help.
There will be breakfast of sausage/bacon rolls with tea/coffee from 9.45am available to purchase from Ella Beasley’s stall.
The BBQ lunch with several salads by the wonderful Beasleys will be served about 12.30pm followed by afternoon tea with cakes about 3pm (£10 per person for lunch and afternoon tea). The bar will also be open on the day.
NEW COACHING PROGRAMME
We are delighted to welcome Neil Craig as our new Coaching Coordinator. The handover has been going smoothly, and the new coaching programme is running very well. We’re sure you will join us in supporting Neil as he settles into his role. For all coaching‑related queries, please contact him at [email protected].
BALL TRAYS
You may have noticed our new bespoke ball trays. Many thanks to our multi-talented Tim Sutton for designing and fabricating them with a 3D printer. The low sides with holes were designed to facilitate drying of the tennis balls after a rain. There are 8 trays, of which 1 is for the mini court. Please remember to take only one tray of balls per court.
MEMBERSHIP
Our New Members’ event on Saturday 16th May was very well attended with over 50 new members and their families taking part. The event helped our new members discover what the club has to offer, from social hitting to competitive tennis, and the extensive coaching programmes for adults and juniors. A few committee members were present to chat with the new intake and to arrange and play in friendly tennis matches with them. Delicious refreshments were enjoyed by all. Our thanks go to all the helpers that made the event such a success, including our coaches and a junior member (Auden) who assisted by running games with some of our new junior members.
TEAM TENNIS
Our Men’s and Ladies’ summer league seasons are now underway, with all fixtures confirmed. This year we have entered 4 Hot Rackets and 2 Herts League teams on the Ladies’ side, and for the Men we have 5 Herts League teams, 1 National League team, and 2 Hot Rackets teams. Matches are now in progress with a mix of early results.
If you are interested in playing competitive tennis for any of our teams, please contact Men’s Captain: Mark Behan — [email protected], Ladies’ Captain: Rachel Hoddinott — [email protected]
Our Wednesday Ladies’ Nights continue to be very popular. Liz Esby kindly organises fixed fours each week via a WhatsApp group. If you’d like to be added, please message her on 07448 233049.
Men’s Night is also in full swing. All male members are warmly encouraged to come along every Tuesday from 6pm for both competitive and social play.
Mixed Teams
The Datchworth Summer League is well underway, with 6 of the 14 matches now completed and a variety of results so far. We have four teams competing this season, all enjoying strong competition within their respective divisions.
The Mid‑Herts Mixed League also has a few matches still to play, and players have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this friendly league. If you are interested in joining one of our mixed teams, please contact either Rachel or Mark.
Our Thursday Social Mix‑In at 6pm continues to thrive, with a great range of playing standards. Coach Rupert organises everyone into competitive fours, making it a fun and inclusive evening for all.
TEAM PRACTICES
Thanks to the coaches for some enjoyable team practices. Look forward to putting it into practice in matches.
SOCIALS
May has been an incredibly busy and sociable month at the club! Members enjoyed a fantastic Beer & Curry Night, a delicious Moroccan Supper Night prepared by our super chef Chris Rice, New Members Day organised by Nick Murray, and the ever-popular Bank Holiday Tournaments.
All of the events were a huge success, brilliantly attended, and created a wonderful atmosphere around the club. A huge thank you to everyone involved in organising these events and helping make the club such an enjoyable and welcoming place for all members.
PLEASE NOTE:
All ELTC members are warmly invited to bring guests to our supper nights, whether you’re playing tennis beforehand or simply joining us for the meal.
Forthcoming Diary Dates
Events in June 2026
| Wednesday 3rd | Ladies Fizz & Curry Night, please sign up here: https://forms.gle/wQGRDNo5iJFkYuzk8 |
| Saturday 6th | Wine Tasting Evening with Barry and Alison, please sign up here: https://forms.gle/9Be1g8LiDmB55qir5 |
| Thursday 11th | Mexican supper night by Victoria and Susie, please sign up here: https://forms.gle/pWq6PySR2gTSwU8S7 |
| Saturday/Sunday 20th/21st | Finals Day – For the catering purposes, please sign up here if you wish to join us for lunch and afternoon tea. https://forms.gle/gKUvLHYG2JL8NJcy5 |
| Sunday 28th | Junior Tournament |
Events in July 2026
| Sunday 5th | Junior Tournament Reserved Date |
| Thursday 16th | South African Supper Night by Steve Segall, please sign up here: https://forms.gle/JHxH3ngg2N6Tk9269 |
Events in August 2026
| Saturday 1st | Tim Sutton Magic and Music Evening |
| Thursday 13th | Supper Night by Jon & Marion Carr |
| Monday 31st | Summer Bank Holiday Tournament |
If you have any queries regarding any of the social events, please contact our Super Social Secretary, Jane Bisseker, at [email protected].
JUNIORS
JUNIOR TEAMS
If any juniors wish to play in a team, please contact our Junior Secretary, Dan Pearce at [email protected]
2026 JUNIOR TOURNAMENT – Sunday 28th June Reserve date: Sunday 5th July (in case of bad weather)
The entry deadline has now passed and the draw for the U12–U16 age groups have been completed and had been sent by email to all the participants. If you have signed up but not yet received the email, please contact Andree Haxton by email [email protected] . Players in these age groups may arrange and play their preliminary matches ahead of the tournament, with all finals taking place on the day.
For our U8 and U10 players, the tournament will run in a fun round‑robin format on the day. Entries for this age group are still open, and numbers are currently very low. Please do encourage your juniors to take part — it’s a brilliant, friendly introduction to competitive tennis.
To help the event run smoothly, we are looking for parent volunteers to support our coaches Rupert and Dan with organisation and coordination. If you are able to assist, please let them know by emailing them at [email protected] and [email protected] . We will also need parents to volunteer throughout the day on the 28th June to ensure everything runs efficiently.
JUNIOR NIGHTS
Our Friday Junior Nights are now in full swing, and we’re delighted to welcome both returning families and those new to the club. These evenings give our juniors a chance to practise their tennis skills, enjoy some free play, and mix with friends in a relaxed, supportive environment. Sessions are led by our wonderful coaches — Steve, Rupert and Dan.
Session times:
- 4:30pm–6pm — Primary school children (must be supervised by a parent or guardian)
- 6pm–8pm — Secondary school children (no parent supervision required)
A tuck shop offering snacks, hot dogs and pizzas is open each week. The bar will only open if we have enough volunteers to run it. If you can kindly offer a little help, please contact Andree Haxton at [email protected].
Junior Night finishes at 8pm, and we politely ask parents to vacate the clubhouse by this time so our volunteers can close up.
Please note that there are no Junior Nights during school holidays. However, courts are booked for our juniors to use. Just turn up and play with other players.
BRIDGE SESSIONS AT ELTC
Rachel Hoddinott will be contacting those who have already registered their interest. If anyone else would like to join, you are very welcome. Please get in touch with Rachel on 07581 219407 or [email protected] to register.
Non‑members are also welcome to attend for a small charge, though priority will be given to ELTC members.
The first session will take place on Monday 15th June 2026 at 7pm in the clubhouse. The bar will be open.
SUMMER CONCERT
Some of our members and Tim Sutton will be featuring at St. Helen’s Summer Concert at Wheathampstead on Saturday 27th June at 5pm, please click on the following link to purchase your tickets:
Kind Regards
Elliswick LTC Committee
PS, Don’t forget to keep up to date with events at our website http://www.elliswickltc.co.uk and follow our Facebook page as well.