British Tennis Membership - latest news!

Over the next few weeks, club members who have signed up to British Tennis Membership will be receiving their unique membership number along with more information on the core packages available and how they can purchase exclusive add-on packages.

Please remember, core membership is still FREE for all members of affiliated clubs - this offer will be running up until the end of February 2009.

Exclusive add-on packages: Once members have received their unique membership number and registered online, they can purchase their add-on packages before the scheme goes live in March.

For just £35 extra per year, members can subscribe to ACE and British Tennis magazines and have the 11 issues per year, delivered direct to their door.

For an additional £30 per year, members can sign up to the International Events package, and enjoy exclusive access to discounts on top events around the world through our partner, Grand Slam Tennis Tours, the world's leading tennis tour operator. Offers will include a 15% discount on up to 12 international tennis events each year, tailor-made packages for top tournaments, access to court side tickets and specially tailored French Open packages, plus much more.

Over the next month, your County team will be visiting with new membership posters, flyers and brochures for you to promote membership in your club.

Thank you again for your ongoing support of British Tennis Membership! Our new membership website is now live, so please direct your club members to the following address to sign up and read all about the packages on offer. You can also find a set of frequently asked questions with all you need to know about membership.

Visit http://lta-clubs.createsend.com/t/1/l/ukhkh/jyijtkhi/www.lta.org.uk/membership or call 0845 873 7202 to speak to our membership services team.

Tennis Resources

By the end of January, all affiliated tennis clubs will receive the first edition of Tennis Resources. Tennis Resources fact sheets have been developed to support clubs in all aspects of their development from child protection and health and safety to support for volunteers and top tips for running competitions. We are continually updating and developing new Tennis Resources and these will be sent out to clubs on a regular basis. We are in the process of redeveloping the LTA website. Once this work is complete and the new website launched, you will also be able to access Tennis Resources from the website.

Total Tennis – Club Websites

We have been aware for some time that Total Tennis does not provide an appropriate website solution for tennis clubs. We have also established that very few clubs still use Total Tennis as the platform for their clubs website due to its poor functionality and as a result of the LTA confirming on a few occasions that Total Tennis for clubs will be closed down at some time in the future.

As a result  and as you should know following our recent email communication, we have now decided to close down the Total Tennis website facility on the 29th February 2008. Therefore, if your club still uses a Total Tennis website you will need to find an alternative web solution for your tennis club. There are many providers of low cost web solutions available on the market, such as Visual Reality (e-mail: info@tournamentsoftware.com). However, you should research all available alternatives to ensure you meet the needs of your club.

If you do decide to develop a new website please let your local LTA county office know your new web address so we can add this to the LTA website to enable you to benefit fully from the club search facility on the LTA’s main website.

Do you need to take legal or financial advice on behalf of your club - if so call BASeline

Before you take independent legal or financial advice call BASeline the tennis club business advice service. BASeline is available to all affiliated clubs and provides the advice and support you need, when you need it. You will receive up to the minute, wide-ranging advice on a huge range of business issues, including employment and personnel, health and safety, tax and VAT, PAYE, commercial and contract law and company law.

All you have to do is call 0844 5618133 and quote the LTA code - LTA 27950. The helpline is available from 9am to 5 pm Monday to Friday.

Recycling Tennis Balls

We have had quite a few queries recently from clubs requesting advice on how to recycle used tennis balls. We have taken some advice from WRAP, who work to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often.

WRAP have advised that whilst it is great that tennis clubs would like to recycle tennis balls. Unfortunately, due to the fact that tennis balls are made up of a number of different materials they are unlikely to be collected by local authorities or be accepted at any recycling banks.

WRAP and the ITF suggest that clubs instead donate used tennis balls to animal charities or even local schools who could use them for tennis or in art and design projects.

Club profile form

If you haven't done so already please can you make changes to your clubs club profile form and return to clubprofile@LTA.org.uk  as soon as possible.