{"id":528882,"date":"2026-03-09T13:22:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T13:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/528882\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T13:22:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T13:22:22","slug":"lta-tennis-foundation-supports-the-sporting-equals-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/528882\/","title":{"rendered":"LTA Tennis Foundation supports the Sporting Equals Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>LTA Tennis Foundation is proud to sponsor the Sporting Equals Awards for a third year through the Community Tennis Award.  <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportingequals.org.uk\/sporting-equals-awards\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Awards<\/a> are all about celebrating sporting excellence within ethnically diverse communities. This aligns\u00a0with\u00a0the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lta.org.uk\/what-we-do\/lta-tennis-foundation\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> LTA Tennis Foundation\u2019s<\/a> mission to improve lives through tennis,\u00a0with a strong focus on supporting projects in underserved communities.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This award recognises an organisation or programme that has\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0excellence in bringing tennis to ethnically diverse communities over the past 12 months. Nominations were assessed on how the\u00a0applicant\u00a0has\u00a0delivered positive social impact and improved lives through tennis.<\/p>\n<p>Those\u00a0nominated for this category had to\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0how they:<\/p>\n<p>Provide\u00a0inclusive opportunities for ethnically diverse communities\u00a0to thrive in tennis\u00a0<br \/>\nRemove\u00a0barriers to access (e.g. financial, cultural, geographical, systemic)\u00a0<br \/>\nDemonstrate\u00a0innovation and creativity to make tennis safe and inclusive\u00a0<br \/>\nDrive\u00a0community engagement and positive social impact in the last 12 months\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After public nominations\u00a0closed, three organisations\u00a0were\u00a0shortlisted, and the winner will be decided by a\u00a0combination of a\u00a0public vote and an independent judging panel.\u00a0The winner will be\u00a0announced at the awards evening which will take place on the\u00a0Saturday 18 April.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The volume and quality of public nominations were truly outstanding, and it made the shortlisting process incredibly tough. As one of our\u00a0shortlisting\u00a0panel members said, \u201cYou could feel the passion behind every nomination, choosing just three felt almost impossible.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The shortlist for the LTA Tennis Foundation\u00a0Community Tennis\u00a0Award\u00a0is\u00a0detailed below. <a href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/WzeKC7AKniEQXoQF8fnSo2zBH?domain=sportingequals.award.vote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Voting is now\u00a0open<\/a> and closes on the Thursday 26\u00a0March.\u00a0Please take a moment to read more about the impact of these amazing organisations and\u00a0programmes, and\u00a0cast your vote.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"u-subtitle2\">Together Tennis\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Together Tennis delivers free, fun, and culturally inclusive tennis sessions for women and families in Birmingham, helping to remove common barriers to participation. They work with hundreds of individuals from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, with more than 80% of participants coming from diverse ethnic communities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Sessions are adapted to meet everyone\u2019s needs, using modified rackets, balls, mini nets, and other accessible equipment suitable for all levels and abilities. Their all\u2011female coaching team helps build trust and reassurance, and many women say they feel comfortable and safe learning a new sport in an all\u2011women environment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Several participants also share that they would not attend mixed\u2011gender sessions, often due to cultural expectations or concerns about family approval.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/carolle--iman-crop-2.jpg\" alt=\"Carolle-&amp;-Iman-crop-2.jpg\" width=\"3028\" height=\"1661\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"u-subtitle2\">SheCanServe\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lta.org.uk\/news\/shecanserve-the-story-of-how-a-viral-tiktok-transformed-into-a-growing-all-female-tennis-community\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SheCanServe<\/a>\u00a0provides inclusive opportunities for ethnically diverse women\u00a0to thrive in tennis by intentionally removing the cultural,\u00a0social\u00a0and confidence\u2011based barriers that have historically limited access and long\u2011term participation in the sport.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They deliver women\u2011only, beginner\u2011friendly tennis programmes, where many participants are first\u2011time players or returners who previously believed tennis was not for them.\u00a0Sessions prioritise psychological safety,\u00a0representation\u00a0and enjoyment &#8211; creating an environment where women feel comfortable to learn, make mistakes and build confidence at their own pace.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They\u00a0run\u00a0regular weekly coaching sessions, with many women attending consistently and progressing through the programme over time. Their culture\u2011led approach blends tennis with music,\u00a0culture\u00a0and community, helping to make the sport feel welcoming,\u00a0familiar\u00a0and far less intimidating.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The sessions are not only about learning tennis, but also about building friendships,\u00a0confidence\u00a0and a long\u2011term community around the sport. As a Black female\u2011led organisation, the team\u2019s lived experience directly shapes the way programmes are designed and delivered, ensuring participants feel understood,\u00a0represented\u00a0and genuinely supported.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2024-she-can-serve.jpg\" alt=\"2024-She-Can-Serve.jpg\" width=\"3900\" height=\"2600\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"u-subtitle2\">Krimmz Girls Youth Club\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.krimmz.org.uk\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">KRIMMZ Girls Youth Club<\/a> creates inclusive tennis opportunities for ethnically diverse girls and women by designing provision rooted in lived community experience. They address cultural, social, financial, and structural barriers through female-only sessions, subsidised or free participation and delivery in trusted local venues at times that align with school,\u00a0faith\u00a0and family commitments. This culturally informed approach removes fear, builds\u00a0confidence\u00a0and ensures participants feel safe,\u00a0respected\u00a0and welcome.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Their\u00a0work is rooted in communities where participation has traditionally been low, particularly among ethnically diverse girls and women. The team\u00a0acts\u00a0as a bridge to sporting opportunities, creating accessible pathways that remove barriers such as cost, lack of representation, limited confidence, and unfamiliarity with traditional tennis environments.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-krimmz.jpg\" alt=\"2026-Krimmz.JPG\" width=\"1078\" height=\"628\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Tom Gibbins, Head\u00a0of LTA Tennis\u00a0Foundation,\u00a0said, &#8220;We\u2019re incredibly proud to sponsor the\u00a0Community\u00a0Tennis Award.\u00a0The three shortlisted organisations have shown remarkable dedication to breaking down barriers and creating spaces where ethnically diverse players feel welcomed,\u00a0represented\u00a0and able to thrive.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Their work reflects exactly what the LTA Tennis Foundation stands for\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0using tennis as a force for opportunity,\u00a0inclusion\u00a0and lasting change.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a privilege to celebrate their\u00a0efforts\u00a0and\u00a0impact\u00a0for the individuals and communities they work in\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"u-title2\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Vote Now <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Vote for the organisation you think should take home the LTA Tennis Foundation Community Tennis Award at the Sporting Equals Awards 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"rt-button\" href=\"https:\/\/sportingequals.award.vote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Vote now<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LTA Tennis Foundation is proud to sponsor the Sporting Equals Awards for a third year through the Community&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":528883,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[565],"tags":[64,63,85,747],"class_list":["post-528882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tennis","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-sports","tag-tennis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/528882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=528882"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/528882\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/528883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=528882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=528882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=528882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}