Chairman's New Year Newsletter

Dear DLTSC members,
 
I wish all members a very happy and healthy 2024, and I would like to share with you the following Club updates!
 
Membership year 2024/25
Our new membership year starts on 1 March 2024. Following last year’s successful implementation of our new membership structure and payment system, we hope that your renewal experience will be very smooth. In fact, unless your credit card details have expired, or your personal circumstances/family structure have changed, you have to do absolutely nothing! If your credit card details have changed (e.g. your card expired in the last 12 months), and you want to continue to be a member, please change your credit card details now on the membership page of our website. You will be receiving a subs renewal email early February and if your family structure will be changing, you will need to let us know so that we can change it on the system, and you will then be charged the correct amount for the 2024/25 subs year. The Board has decided to increase the membership dues in line with the inflation on our costs (around 5.5%) and to add a small annual processing fee of £5 - £10 to the monthly payment option depending on the membership category. The 2024/25 adult membership will be £322 if paid in one payment and £27.67 per month if paid in 12 instalments.
 
Safeguarding
The Board regards safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults of very high importance and has recently updated the DLTSC Safeguarding Policy and Practice. The full Policy document is available on our website, and I request all of you to at least read the 4-page practical implementation document as we all have our role to play in safeguarding our children and vulnerable adults.
 
Club Branding
 
2023 saw the successful introduction of new Club branding and a new DLTSC logo. The feedback on this has been overwhelmingly positive. We now have introduced new club branded kit: hats, hoodies, dody warmers, towels, t-shirts, etc. If you like your Club, please show it. The club website has a link on the front page to our own shop page. It is really good value too!
 
Tennis Floodlights
The successful replacement of our tennis floodlights last year had resulted in a number complaints from our neighbours about glare so we have worked with our lighting contractors to try to reduce the impact.  They came to the club in November, and we managed to adjust several of the floodlights to reduce the glare. We have had some positive feedback from our neighbours in this regard.
 
We believe that the biggest constraint on us being able to use our facilities effectively is that only 4 of our 9 tennis courts are floodlit. We want to provide more opportunities for both adult and junior members to extend their ability to play in the winter when the nights draw in early.  Having only 4 floodlit courts available, from 4pm we cannot offer sufficient courts for coaching children after school and for members after work to play games and matches.  To this end, we intend to put planning applications in for floodlighting on all our remaining unfloodlit courts during the early part of this year.  We have asked a floodlight contractor to draw up designs and once these plans are complete, we will have an information meeting with our neighbours before starting the planning application process. 
 
We are aware that on occasion floodlights are left on on courts that are no longer being used and electricity is wasted. We have looked at technical solutions to help prevent this, but unfortunately that has not proven possible. Please make sure you cancel your court if you no longer have a need for it (even if it is due to bad weather), and that if you leave the court before the end of your session that you turn off the lights in the Clubhouse.
 
Other tennis initiatives
We have plans to put a mini tennis court and hitting wall in the unused space behind the club.  This will be primarily used for juniors (mini-red) although it could also be used for short tennis (a version of tennis played with sponge balls). 
 
Squash
We have had a pleasing growth in the number of players playing squash and racquetball. The racquetball introduction sessions were well attended, and several tennis players can now regularly be found enjoying the indoor courts playing racquetball. Our squash coach Paul Steward's junior players groups are very popular. We have increased the number of men’s squash teams, giving more people the opportunity to play competitively against other clubs. The men’s teams are continuing their success in the leagues, and we are now looking to also set up a women's squash team. 
 
A vibrant squash section needs to be supported by good facilities, so we plan to refurbish the floor of court C and repaint and undertake repairs to all courts. 
 
Clubhouse redevelopment
The Board is developing plans to revamp the clubhouse.  This would involve work on the main Club building and an upgrade of the building’s outdoor area to improve the look of the Club. We would also like to make a better space to view tennis matches and improve visibility of the squash courts. We are currently in the concept stage and when we have something more concrete, we will let you know.
 
Gym
We would like to raise the profile of our mini-gym. We want to make sure that it is a fully integrated part of the Club and that we manage it accordingly. We plan to update you on this shortly.
 
I hope you have a wonderful year at the Club!
 
Best regards,
 
Arnold Jager