Shipley MP Philip Davies and Yorkshire LTA president Liz Wilson helped to open the new courts at Salts Tennis Club.

“It’s a very proud moment – it’s taken 13 years of work to get our club to this position,” said club secre-tary and junior co-ordinator John Bretherick.

“We have worked with the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Ass-ociation, and our joint junior tennis programme with Titus Salt School has enabled us to build support with local sponsors, such as Pace, Jack Penningtons, Illingworth McNair and Buxton Pickles.

“Also funding bodies such as the Shipley Area Com-mittee (SAC) and the Foundation for Sports and the Arts have helped us to develop our club and add a fourth court.”

Bretherick added: “The Salts Community Tennis programme has grown over the last year and, with the backing of Bradford Lei-sure Services, Shipley Area Committee, the YLTA and club sponsors, Richard Senior (new head coach) has delivered ‘affordable tennis coaching for all’, providing 172 hours of tennis coach-ing in eight primary schools and Titus Salt School. Over 1,300 children had the opportunity to play.”

Tennis events included beginners’ coaching and tournaments at Titus Salt School, Northcliffe, Lister and Myrtle parks, and Salts Tennis Club.

With the support of the SAC, free tennis summer camps were organised.