Club Newsletter – May 2026

Welcome to our May newsletter! 

Club Improvements 

With our new financial year underway from 1st April, we have been kicking-off the planned capital expenditure projects around the club. Nothing particularly transformational this year, but we are continuing the ongoing process of nudging everything forwards with continuous maintenance and advancement of our facilities. 

– All the guttering of the clubhouse has recently been replaced, to put an end to the many waterfalls we were getting down various parts of the external walls in times of heavy rain. 
– We are replacing the gravel border to the pathway from the Canal Fields pedestrian entrance with a resin-bound surface and drainage channel, and repairing the brick pointing in some areas of the plinth to the glass balustrade.
– The bottom of the driveway entrance and the rough maintenance access track to tennis court 7 will have new tarmac surfaces. 
– Inside the club, we are inserting new ceiling panels to squash court 6, where the original ceiling tiles had fallen into disrepair (and in many cases had simply fallen and disappeared). 

All this creates temporary areas of closure, and skips and vans occupying our limited car parking spaces.  Thank-you for bearing with us.  Normal (and improved) service will be resumed ASAP. 

Appointment of Joint Head Tennis Coaches 

Although we opened this newsletter with general news about the club, the headline item you will already have read about is that we are delighted to confirm the appointment of Olly Culwick and Josh Sapwell as our new Joint Heads of Tennis Coaching. 

Adam Suggett, Chair of Tennis, has written about it to you, and we know they will do a brilliant job. Olly and Josh’s joint application for the role formed part of a rigorous search and selection exercise culminating in an excellent final shortlist of candidates undergoing a thorough process of presentations, interviews and coaching demo’s with our selection panel. 

We know that Olly and Josh will be highly effective co-heads, leading a very capable team to bring a refreshed coaching programme to players of all abilities; supporting our club vision to be one of the leading members’ tennis and squash clubs in the country by providing excellence in every aspect of our playing facilities, venue and operations. 

Tennis 

If you’re still in the club tournaments, maybe get some coaching sessions in, to add that power boost for the next round! All the events are tracking nicely, towards Finals Day on Saturday 27th June.

Regardless of whether you are in or out, put it in your calendar and come on down for a great club day! This year will be extra special as we’re having a Finals Day Party with a DJ and food after the prize-giving, going through to England’s World Cup match vs Panama kicking off at 10pm. 

It’s a bit depressing to start thinking about next Winter, but just to confirm that we have considerably reduced the off-peak booking rates for members for our two indoor courts in the coming October to April period, to encourage more widespread use among you. 

Must we continue talking about Winter? Sort of. At the weekend, our giant-killing National Premier League team were strong contenders in the Winter League national finals, narrowly losing in the QFs 10-8 in a shoot-out with David Lloyd Narborough after finishing 2-2. In searing heat on unfamiliar grass courts. Joint 5th in the country! 

Our NPL Summer League are through to the play-offs on 18th July to also reach the national finals. We’re hoping for a home draw when the play-off fixtures are finalised. 

We can now let you know how our teams fared in the 2025-26, ahem, Winter season. We had another successful season in the Aylesbury league competition:
– Ian Bragg’s Mens 2 came top in Division 5
– all of the following teams came 2nd in their divisions so will also be promoted next winter – Kirsty Hamilton’s Women’s 2 (Div 3), Alice Stoker’s Women’s 3 (Div 5), Bobby Mercandino’s Men’s 3 (Div 8) and Shrina Patel’s Mixed 1 (Div 3)
– Dan Jay’s Men’s 1st team came 2nd, but already in Div 1, can’t go any higher!  
– and thanks must go to Jamie Matthews who headed up a brand new mixed team so several members totally new to matches had a chance to represent our club. 
– In the Herts Vets league, Jon O’Mahony’s O45s came top of Div 1A so will be moving up to the Championship div next year.
– Tracey Mackey’s 50B ladies will be promoted as they came 2nd in Div 3. 

Well done to all our team players and many thanks to our wonderful captains. Let’s hope the Summer season, which has already kicked off, proves as successful. 

Squash & Racketball 

Next up in the calendar is an all-comers derby match against local friends and rivals Tring Squash Club on Saturday 13th June at their place. A brilliant afternoon of graded squash and racketball for all abilities, followed by food and refreshment.  

If you’re interested and not already signed up, message Pete Walker, Chair of S&R, on 07561 888274. 

Looking ahead to Winter (what is this newsletter coming to?), we are proud to announce that we have been chosen by England Squash Masters to once again be the host venue for the South Regional Masters on 27th-29th November, following our very successful first time last year which involved more than 20 of our own members among the 200 competitors.

Bar & Café News 

Did you know that Arsenal are in the Champions League Final on Saturday 😉 5pm kick-off.  We’ll be showing it. 

Coming soon:  the World Cup 11th June-19th July.  How has 30 years of hurt now become 60 years in the blink of an eye?  (What with Winter talk and that thought, it’s time to have a lie down.) All of England’s games. Indoor and outdoor bars and TVs. Food served before all matches shown. 

Just One More Thing – the Columbo section

We are so pleased to say that four of our members are nominated at the upcoming Sporting Excellence Awards on Thursday 4th June run by Berkhamsted Sports Grounds, and open to all sports clubs in the Berkhamsted area.

Alice Stoker, David Wells and Dan White are up (individually) for the Volunteer of the Year award, for their great work over many years for our tennis community; and Libby Montgomery for Women’s Sports Person of the Year, for her inspirational success in captaining our women’s squash team to the 2025/26 Herts League title and representing England in the 2025 Masters Squash Home Internationals.

The evening is being held at Berkhamsted Golf Club, it will be hosted by our tennis member Paul Forster, Chair of BSG, and award presenters include Victoria Collins MP and Lady Mayoress Sue Jordan.

It will be a superb occasion of recognition for unsung heroes, and fingers crossed for our nominated stars! 

Until next month, that’s all for now!

Club Council

(John Shaw, Phil Trimmer, Adam Suggett, Pete Walker, Matt Markwort, Tracey Mackey, Mark Shattock)