Tennis club nets Lotto cash grant

Top player Mohammad Shafique with the Lottery cheque for £8,000 for Clarksfield Tennis Club, and club member Philippa Hayes, left, and club chairman Kath Moss

Anyone for tennis? There will be more tennis for anyone who fancies trying a session at the Clarksfield Tennis Club thanks to a Lottery grant of £8,000.

The club in Easterdale, off Lees Road, has received an Awards for All grant so it can offer more coaching and increase its membership.

The club is one of the oldest in Oldham and is now one of only four in the borough, although there used to be 20 in the 1980s.

The grant has allowed the refurbishment of the courts, an improved clubhouse and training for young members to become leaders and coaches.

Now they can offer inexpensive coaching for adults and children, and 40 new people have started using the club.

The coaches include new member Mohammad Shafique who was No 5 in Pakistan before moving to England in the winter.

The club’s chairman, Kath Moss, said: “The Lottery grant has given the club a huge boost. Shafique has been tremendous for the club, just seeing someone of his talent coaching and playing is a real inspiration to our young people.”