Is it really two years ago that I began my two-year term of office as Club Chairman? I have very much enjoyed serving the club as Chairman during this time and I hope you will agree that the club is now thriving from a tennis and social point of view. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the other enthusiastic members of the Committee for their time and support. Thank you also to club members for your continuing support for the Committee and the Professional team.
Our young players and juniors have been doing well at a national level so congratulations to them. Many congratulations also to Dave and Jonny Whittaker for winning the Parents and Offspring Doubles Tournament at the Leamington club. Jonny began his real tennis as a teenager in Bristol and I still remember playing against him when our handicaps were in the 30s; thereafter our paths diverged and he now plays most of his tennis at Queen’s with a ‘single figures’ handicap!
Our 25th Anniversary Doubles Tournament could not have gone better! Thanks to all who took part and a very big thank you to the two Bens for their expertise and for doing such a marvellous job as our Professional markers over the whole four days. It was great to see the club buzzing with visitors and home players and we hope to repeat a Bristol Doubles Tournament annually, probably at the same time of year.
There was a delightful Welcome Reception at the Club on the Friday evening and a splendid 25th Anniversary Dinner at the Clifton Club on the Saturday night. I would like to thank again members of the Organizing Committee (Jan Fuller, Charlotte Wilsher and John Newman) who worked so hard to prepare for these events. The donations from members and the auction raised over £9,000 to be used by the club for youth development.
I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the talented and hard-working members of the BRTC Committee for giving up their time for the benefit of the club. These include John Dixon, as our very dedicated Honorary Secretary, Stuart Andrews as Fixtures Secretary, Jan Fuller as Social Secretary, Charlotte Wilsher as Membership Secretary, Dan Brown as our Youth Development person and, more recently, Giles Watkins as our new Treasurer.
Dan is working well with the Professionals and the juniors, and his enthusiastic initiatives should do well in the future. Giles has a commercial background and has already made some very good suggestions regarding management of the Club.
I am especially grateful to Jan Fuller, our Social Secretary, who is due to step down from the BRTC Committee, after doing such a brilliant job ‘over and above’ the role of social secretary, with her additional expertise in catering. That means that we are looking for a new Social Secretary so if anyone is interested in the role, please contact John Dixon.
I would particularly like to mention the efforts put in behind the scenes by George Bretten, Bruce Newman and James Johnson; these individuals have a particular role in terms of BRTC Development and they are always active in our regular Committee discussions. We would like to make some relatively small renovations to the club by creating a social and court viewing area behind the Dedans seating area, as often seen at other clubs. The viewing of the court from the reception and Bretten Room areas could also be improved.
At the last BRTC Committee meeting, Nigel Harradine was approved as my successor as Club Chairman. I am so pleased that Nigel has agreed to take on this important role and I wish him the best of luck for the future. Unlike the song I’m sure Nigel will wish to make his own plans!
See you on court one day! Wishing you all a Happy Easter.
Clive