Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater draws names of lucky Liversedge tennis players for dream trip to Wimbledon

The foursome – Mark Oldroyd, Kate Cross, Clare Findlay, and Shahid Kahut - will join club captains Laura Murray and Andy Lucas for what has been described as the “honour of a lifetime”.

Club chairman Andy Lucas applied to enter the Wimbledon Experience Day – available to clubs that have been in existence for more than a century – before the Covid-19 pandemic.

News came through in February that Liversedge had been successful, with the 100-member club receiving six tickets for a two-night stay involving a tour of the Wimbledon ground and museum and the chance to play on grass courts as part of a mini tournament followed by dinner in the evening.

Two tickets were allocated to team captains Laura and Andy with the remaining four drawn from the hat by Ms Leadbeater at a tennis tournament and picnic to celebrate King Charles’s coronation.

Ms Leadbeater said: “I was really honoured to make the draw for the Wimbledon Experience day.

“I felt under a bit of pressure because I know how much it meant for people to get the chance to go.

“It was a shame everybody couldn’t win because the club does such a great job providing facilities for people to play sport in our local community.

“Like so many of our grassroots sports clubs, it is run by volunteers. I hope the lucky winners have a wonderful time.”

Club official Simon Watson described the trip, in September, as “absolutely huge” adding: “It’s the biggest honour the club has ever had – the honour of a lifetime.

“It’s down to the graft of Andy, the club chairman, who applied on behalf of the club. He said he’d forgotten all about it because he applied before Covid-19 and we thought it just wouldn’t happen.”

Mr Watson admitted to feeling a twinge of envy for those going to Wimbledon as only two spectators will be allowed on the day.

He said: “If every club took loads of members it would be too much, so we just have two. They haven’t been selected yet.”

The club is based on Richmond Park Avenue in Liversedge and its membership ranges from five to 81.

For more information about Liversedge Tennis Club, visit https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/LiversedgeTennisClub