Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, joined members of Gosforth Garden Village Tennis Club at the weekend to officially unveil two recently re-laid grass courts at the club.

90 per cent of the £33,000 funding required for the new courts came from the Landfill Communities Fund, which is part of the Biffa Award scheme that awards grants to community and environmental projects across the UK. The Fund’s money comes from landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. The new courts replaced old surfaces which had become worn, and often flooded when it rained.

The tennis club was founded in the 1920s as part of the recreational facilities for the Garden Village, which was built to house workers at the nearby LNER railway depot in Gosforth. The club remains part of the Gosforth Garden Village Association, and shares the newly erected Village Hall with other users. This hall was opened in 2012, also with a significant contribution from Biffa Award.  Although relatively small, the club has a flourishing junior section for over 50 local young people.

Catherine said:

“It was an absolute pleasure to be asked to officially unveil these new and impressive facilities.

“The club is a real hidden gem and it’s wonderful to see how open and accessible it is for such a wide variety of local people.

“It’s also great to know that this relatively small club has such a thriving junior section, and it was so encouraging to meet with many of their enthusiastic young members. Who knows if we are nurturing the next Andy Murray here in Newcastle?”

Club committee member Geoff Morrison said:

“We were delighted to welcome Catherine to our club to officiate at the opening of our new courts on a very cold and windy day.

“Catherine’s cheerful enthusiasm was exactly what we were looking for on a big day for a small community tennis club.”