Kate Maurici
Head of Foundation


 

In this issue read about: Inclusive Player Pathway Project|QCF Squash Exhibition Match|Walking Tennis|QCF Fundraising tournament|KCL Disability History Month|Expansion of Community Club|QCF Padel|Community Coaches|Para-Standing Tennis|Diary Dates|Christmas Campaign/Friends Scheme|Sponsors|Volunteer with us


Leo Charlesworth-Mark, one of our first players to join the QCF wheelchair performance sesssion at Queen's, which sits at the pinnacle of our new Inclusive Player Pathway Project (IPP Project)



Thanks to a generous donation by a member at the Club, the QCF has been able to launch a 5 year programme called the Inclusive Player Pathway Project, designed to support children with disabilities who play tennis, specifically from the QCF outreach programmes and the Hammersmith and Fulham Local Authority.  The project focuses on developing a strong, local community programme of inclusive tennis in the areas surrounding the Queen’s Club.

4 pathway players will be selected and provided with a weekly coached squad session at The Club and on-going mentoring and support to foster both their personal and athletic development. In addition, the project will develop wider community participation in inclusive tennis sessions and develop the local tennis workforce to make a sustainable impact. This initiative aligns with the QCF’s strategic focus on disability tennis and seeks to create lasting impact within the community.


QCF Squash Exhibition Match - Sunday 24th November 2024





We are delighted to announce that the QCF's first Squash Exhibition Match will take place on Sunday 24th November from 5.30pm.  QCF ambassador and World No. 5 Georgina Kennedy will battle it out against World No. 20, Jasmine Hutton, followed by a drinks reception and Q&A with the players.  There are also a small number of places available on Junior and Adult coaching sessions with the players from 4pm.  Tickets for this event, which will raise funds for the Foundation's squash outreach programmes are on sale now to Club Members.  Members wishing to purchase a ticket should please contact the QCF office.

Walking Tennis: Rocks Lane, Bishops Park Tennis Centre



Our popular Seniors Tennis (Dementia Friendly) session continues to run weekly and has now moved from Bishop's Park indoors to the Club for the winter months, but from that group, some of the players requested a more demanding session on a full-sized outdoor court and now, our Head Coach, Karin Govan has launched our first walking tennis session.  
Walking tennis is a safe, fun and inclusive way to stay active. It's a game open to anyone - whether you're a lifelong tennis player, a complete beginner or just need a bit more time to get into the swing of things.  It offers an easy way for older people to keep their body and mind active, while also enjoying the social side of being part of a tennis community.  To book onto this weekly class, please visit our bookings website here.


The Queen's Club Foundation versus The Friends of the Mustique Charitable Trust fundraising tournament



Our fundraising tournament and lunch against the UK Friends of the Mustique Charitable Trust was an enormous success in September.  The event included a fun mixed doubles competition followed by a lunch and auction in the President's room. Players were delighted to have the opportunity to share a court with Tim Henman and the on-court event was expertly organised by Lee Childs and Richard Schaffer.  We are still awaiting final figures on the amount raised from the event for our outreach programmes, but we would like to thank the UK Friends of the Mustique Charitable Trust, all those who played and made a donation at the event, as well as the QC Food and Beverage Team, who, as ever, delivered and exceptional lunch for guests.  


KCL disability history month at The Queen's Club, in association with the QCF



On Friday 29th November, 7.30pm-9.30pm at The Queen's Club, King's College Tennis, in partnership with The Queen's Cub Foundation, will be delivering a Disability History Month Event.  
This event, supported by QCF ambassador and Para-Standing tennis player, Nicky Maxwell, will be a free interactive and engaging 2 hour on-court workshop focussing on wheelchair tennis, visually impaired (VI) tennis and other forms of inclusive tennis. The event will be delivered by Mark Bullock, a globally renowned expert in inclusive tennis.  Numbers are limited, but if you are interested in attending this event, please contact Jonathon Dawes for further information here.


Expansion of QCF Community Club Sessions



As well as the outreach sessions delivered by the QCF in the local parks in Hammersmith & Fulham, we also deliver sessions first thing on a Sunday morning at The Queen's Club.  Thanks to the Club expanding our court allocation from 2-4 courts this Autumn, we are now able to deliver an additional green ball session for our older players and also welcome more wheelchair tennis players to our sessions. All of our sessions are free and players from all sessions across the Borough will be invited to our next Family Festival, which takes place in the Junior Centre at Queen's on 17th December. Further information about this festival will be advertised on our bookings website here.




Padel Sessions at Padel Social

Our seniors have been enjoying our first dementia friendly Padel sessions at local Padel Social in Earls Court. This is a fabulous Padel venue and we are delighted that Kristian from Padel Social has given the QCF free courts to enable this community group to take place.  Feedback so far has been hugely positive from the players.  We are starting to expand our Padel community programme and further sessions for children will be available at Rocks Lane Turnham Green soon...


QCF Community Coaches

We are enormously lucky to have a really talented and decicated team of coaches who deliver our outreach tennis sessions.  Each year we gather together over coffee and sandwiches in the Grille at Queen's to share stories and plan for the year ahead.  If anyone is an LTA Accredited coach and is interested to join the team please contact our Head Coach, Karin Govan here.  We are particularly interested to hear from coaches with an interest in delivering schools tennis and inclusive tennis.




Para-Standing Social Tennis Sessions in association with ParkSports

We launched our first Para-Standing Tennis Sessions at Hyde Park this term in association with ParkSports. These sessions were suggested by our QCF ambassador and now President of Para-Standing Tennis, Nicky Maxwell, who emphasised the enormous benefit of sessions specifically for amputees and other Para-Standing players to come together socially to hit. The session is run by an excellent coach, Mark Crowder at Hyde Park and is already growing in popularity.  The session is open to all adults.  The booking link is here.






Upcoming Dates for your diary

24th November: 
QCF Squash Exhibition Match The Queen's Club  5.30pm (coaching from 4pm)

29th November: 
KCL Disability History Month Event  The Queen's Club 7.30pm

2nd December: 
QCF Christmas Drinks for QCF Guests and QC Members, The Queen's Club 6.30pm

4th December: 
QCF school carol singers.Outside the Shop at The Queen's Club from 6pm

17th December:
QCF Christmas Family Festival, The Queen's Club 4pm




DONATE TO THE QCF CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN





QCF Christmas Campaign

Our JustGiving Christmas Campaign is now live and we encourage members and the wider public to support us during the festive season by making a donation to our campaign.  The more we raise now, the more we can invest in outreach projects next year.

If you would like to donate regularly to The QCF, why not join our Friends Scheme?  Regular donations underpin our ability to plan year round outreach programmes.  All Friends will receive a smart QCF lapel pin, as well as invitations to events and our quarterly newsletter. It is quick and easy to sign up to be a Friend.  Information can be found on our website here.


Sponsors

We are always looking for sponsors to support our community club festivals and events.  If you would like to match-fund a QCF campaign linked to a festival, or event, or if your company would like to support an event with a major donation, please contact us to discuss at [email protected]

A huge thank you to our equipment sponsors, Wilson


A Call for Volunteers

We are also always looking for people to support our outreach work.  If you would like to join our database of volunteers, please send an e-mail to our Head of Foundation. We have a variety of ways in which you can assist us, and would be delighted to discuss how you can help.

Our trustees: Will Morse (Chair), Tim Cockroft, Deane Pennick, Vasu Majumdar, Malcolm Smith, Brenda Vandamme, Emma Wardle
Our executive team:  Kate Maurici (Head of Foundation), Karin Govan (Head Coach and Programmes Co-ordinator) and Danja Gutzwiller (Executive Assistant)

If you would like to get more involved with the Foundation and support the valuable work that we do, please contact our Head of Foundation, Kate Maurici at [email protected] or visit our website where there are clear instructions on how to make a donation or become a Friend of The QCF. 

Our charity number is 1164144

Thank you!