New tennis fence serves up new life for Northwood Park courts
Thanks to the huge generosity of a local Cowes business, the popular public tennis courts in Northwood Park have now been served up with a long-term future. The courts would have faced imminent closure this year with the original fifty-year-old fence coming to the end of its maintainable lifespan. A number of fundraising initiatives have helped rally support for a new fence led by supporters of Northwood House Charitable Trust, the owners of the courts, but one business in particular stepped forward to help with this important first stage of rescuing and revitalising the community facility.
Wight Shipyard, better known locally for building high speed ferries including Red Funnel’s new Red Jet 7, completed the re-fencing work this week on the six courts which lie adjacent to Northwood House in Cowes. The company very generously supported the project by supplying all the fencing materials along with several members of their skilled team to erect the fencing. The team worked over a six-week period to complete the task including at weekends. Cowes Town Council have also kindly supported the project with a financial contribution, along with donations from members of the general public which were gratefully received.
Jo Daly, COO of Wight Shipyard said “We were delighted to be able to support the refurbishment of the courts in Cowes. They are a valuable local facility and, as a business based in Cowes, we are happy to have been able to assist a project which will provide enjoyment for local schools and young people, our workforce and their families and local people”.
Gillian Corby of Northwood House Tennis in the Park commented – “The fencing around the courts has been in a very poor state for a number of years and as part of an overall fund-raising drive to refurbish the courts, replacing the fencing was the first stage”.
“We are enormously grateful to Wight Shipyard for the support from their team. We are also grateful to the Cowes Town Council for contributing to the costs. The courts are a wonderful community resource in the middle of Northwood Park and we look forward to welcoming anyone who has an interest in playing tennis in Cowes. You don’t have to join a club, just turn up and play”.
“Our new coach, Connor Ambrosini, will be running regular coaching sessions from mid April – further information on sessions is on social media”. “We will be available at the Northwood House open day on 20th April to talk to anyone who would like to join our friendly tennis sessions”.
For more information see: Facebook – Tennis in the Park-Cowes;
https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/TennisintheParkCowes