Northern Vision is committed to the development of tennis for children. Over the past 8 years 35,000 children have come to the Liverpool tournament to experience both the excitement of centre court and to compete in an international tournament. We focus on not just healthy living, but healthy and active living. Our vision is to create a platform where children can have fun and be active in a healthy and safe environment. We want to inspire children to leave their games consoles or televisions and to get active.
This campaign introduced children to all physical activity, not only tennis, and provides an avenue to join clubs in local areas. This is done through a mini tennis zone where kids from schools are able to play tennis and then watch a centre court match live and meet players. The schools programme is sold out several months prior to the events and the feedback has been very positive where a high percentage of the kids want to continue to play tennis on a regular basis.
During the 2009 event in Liverpool we opened up Calderstones Part a day early filling the centre court with 3000 children (aged between 7 and 12) from schools all around Liverpool and Merseyside getting their first taste of tennis. A huge success, the day was sold out months in advance.
In 2010 in Nottingham, Liverpool and Manchester, this programme will be repeated with the addition of other educational elements such as nutritional education. Northern Vision plan to run monthly tennis clinics to:
a. Encourage children to play tennis; and
b. Identify and develop local talent.
In 2010 and 2011 we anticipate that around 20,000 children will take part.