How Wimbledon Tennis Benefits The Community

It's not just about the tennis...

Although many SW19 residents see the Wimbledon tournament as an annual inconvenience, the All England Lawn Tennis Club does carry out a series of initiatives which help the local community.

Its programme of donations and other benefits is not just linked to tennis-related activity, as its contributions have gone towards a series of projects in the area. They include the following:

  • Financial donations to local charities.
  • Contribution to installation of CCTV scheme in Wimbledon town centre.
  • Contribution to Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators to assist in the publication of a book on the natural history of the Common and to the restoration of the azalea dell in Cannizaro Park, Wimbledon.
  • Benefits to the local community arising from Section 106 Agreement relating to the Club's Long Term Plan (eg improvement to public transport access at Wimbledon Mainline Station; financial assistance to Merton Borough's tennis development programme; floodlighting for tennis courts in Wimbledon Park; refurbishment of public lavatories in Wimbledon Park).
  • Raynes Park Sports Ground facilities offered for use by local schools and sports clubs.
  • Merton Youth Concert Band and Jazz Orchestra play on both semi-final days of The Championships.
  • Donation towards the St Mary's Church, Wimbledon Village (right), renewal appeal for the renovation of the 19th Century organ. Earlier donation towards the floodlighting of St Mary's Church.
  • Monies from sale of hydrangeas donated to local children's charities.
  • Alexandra Rose Day Collection (usually on first Tuesday of The Championships).
  • Use of courts for certain charity tennis events (eg finals of the Save the Children Fund national tournament).

It has also given more than 100,000 children in Merton and Wandsworth the chance to play tennis, through its Road to Wimbledon initiative, launched in 2001.

Around 60 schools in Merton and Wandsworth are visited each year, while around 300 children per day attend sessions at the club held on 45 weekends each year.

Other tennis-related activities have seen it pay for the resurfacing of 10 artificial grass courts in Wimbledon Park in May 2003, having originally renewed 15 tennis courts in Wimbledon Park in 1988.

And young people from Merton secondary schools have the opportunity to become tennis ambassadors by embarking on a year-long leadership and volunteering project in a joint venture between the All England Club and the Merton School Sports Partnership.

On completion of the project, the ambassadors, who are nominated by their PE teachers, will have a recognised qualification in tennis leadership which they can use not only at their school, but also within the Borough.

June 19, 2011