A TENNIS club in Bishop’s Castle has been awarded a grant worth almost £2,000 to help run coaching sessions next summer.

Bishop’s Castle Tennis Club described the grant from the Postcode Community Trust as an “added boost” for the town’s young people with the hope lockdown restrictions will have eased by the start of next summer.

The club’s summer plans were devastated by the onset of the pandemic and rolling lockdowns across England.

Plans to expand tennis coaching for young people in the New Year include taster sessions and tennis holiday camps for 75 youngsters in the Easter and summer holidays.

Sue Cooper, Vice Chair, said: “We managed to put on some junior coaching and holiday camps in 2020 but the pandemic delayed, disrupted and limited what we could do.

“In 2021, we want to more than make up for the lost opportunities.”

The club will be promoting physical education opportunities to all south-west Shropshire primary and junior schools as well as Bishop’s Castle Community College.

Tennis players will also be able to enjoy using new grant-aided tennis training equipment, including new junior racquets and balls.

Sue added: “More generally, we shall be talking to the many community groups throughout south-west Shropshire to see how we can best serve their members and introduce them to tennis.”

This festive season news has been made possible by an award of a £1,970 grant from the Postcode Community Trust, a grant- giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Post Code Lottery

The club said more information about free tennis coaching sessions for young people and its wider coaching programme will be available soon.

The club, based at the town leisure centre, can boast among the best facilities in the area with three courts, two hard and one astro turf surface.

In the meantime Bishop’s Castle Tennis Club is encouraging people to register their interest at info@bishopscastletennis.org.