'Truly inspiring' tennis club wins top award

A tennis club which helps children with additional needs compete in tournaments across the Europe has won a top award for making the sport more inclusive.

Freedom Leisure's Oxstalls Sports Park in Gloucester was awarded the Tennis Opened Up Lawn Tennis Association Award by Gloucestershire Tennis.

The accolade recognises the park's programme of classes, which includes junior wheelchair sessions and lessons for children with special educational needs.

Helen Williams, Gloucestershire Tennis Awards lead, said: "Their continued commitment to the community is truly inspiring and sets a fantastic example of what inclusive sport should look like."

Ms Williams added the awards highlighted Oxstalls' "outstanding efforts to break down barriers".

The park's bosses said they were "so pleased" to have scooped the award and praised it as a "feather in the cap" of their in-house tennis team.

There was further success for the park as two of its members were given individual awards.

Junior wheelchair players Will and McKenzie were recognised for their "dedication, resilience, and passion" for tennis.

Will has competed in International Tennis Federation tournaments across Europe and is ranked in the top 20 of junior wheelchair tennis.

Meanwhile, McKenzie is a Welsh National Junior Champion.

Nick Charlton, Freedom Leisure area manager, said the tennis programme was a "fantastic" example of how sports and leisure could "improve lives".

Louisa Davies, head of culture and leisure at Gloucester City Council, said she was "incredibly proud" of Oxstalls and the award was "testament to the dedication of everyone who works there".