Community Tennis
Wesport is highly motivated by the social outcomes that sport and physical activity can provide. Wesport understands the power that sport and physical activity has and relishes the fact that it can transform lives. This motivation underpins the community outreach element of our Bristol Parks Tennis project.
Any surplus generated from the park courts will be directed back into our Community Tennis Programme, allowing us to grow and sustain this important part of our work.
The Community Tennis Programme is striving to develop an accessible, affordable, sustainable community tennis landscape, with the aim of attracting new audiences, from under-represented groups.
Through this work , we are engaging local communities in something positive, that will improve the health and well-being of the participants, whilst also using sport as a tool to foster positive social outcomes.
We deliver and plan regular weekly sessions which target specific communities in partnership with local community organisations and support services. These sessions focus their delivery to address health inequalities and provide opportunities for underrepresented groups to play tennis in their local green space.
We also offer complimentary membership to the park courts and provision of equipment for community organisations so they can enable people to access the courts at a time that suits them, which sustains and increases participation. If you are a community organisation and would like to find out more abut accessing Community Tennis, please get in touch.
This work is enabling us to build relationships and partnerships with local groups and communities in St George and Eastville Park where our community work is focussed. Key beneficiaries supported through this delivery include refugees and asylum seekers, older people and young people with learning disabilities.
List of current Community Tennis activities:
- Women's Community Tennis, every Tuesday 12pm at Eastville Park: This session engages women from culturally diverse communities.
- Walking Tennis, every Tuesday 10.30am at St George Park: This session engages older adults, many with long term health conditions.
- Mental Wellbeing Tennis every Tuesday 1pm at Eastville Park: This session engages people who have experience or who are living with a long term mental illness, as well as those with mild to moderate mental health conditions.
- Mental Wellbeing Tennis in partnership with Aidbox every Tuesday 2pm at Eastville Park: This session engages refugees and people seeking asylum.
- Inclusive Tennis every Saturday 4pm at St George Park: This session engages young people with physical, visual, learning and hidden disabilities.
- Youth Community Tennis every Sunday 12pm at St George Park: This session engages young people from culturally diverse communities, in partnership with Imayla.
In this video you can hear from one of the participants who has really enjoyed the sessions so far:
" I find the walking tennis sessions very therapeutic. Not only as a social event, but primarily for me as a form of outdoor exercise. I always feel invigorated after the session mentally and physically."
