The event, which is due to start in Glasgow on September 12, aims to provide an opportunity for people to learn more about how tennis can be adapted to suit all abilities and hopes to capture a wide audience from volunteers and schools to local members of the community who might be trying tennis for the first time.

With the success of British disability tennis players in recent years, lead by double wheelchair tennis Paralympic champion Peter "The Quadfather" Norfolk and the continued success of the annual British Wheelchair Tennis Open in Nottingham, the new campaign hopes to encourage more people with disabilities to pick up a racket and get involved in the sport.

"The Disability Tennis Road Show will give us a great opportunity to interact with many of our tennis partners, who are fundamental in giving disabled people a positive first experience of tennis in venues across Great Britain," said Dave Hillier, Disability Development Manager at the Tennis Foundation.

"It will also be a chance for those who just want to have some fun hitting a few balls to do so in an informal setting and find a version of tennis that will work for them, whatever their ability."


On each of the seven days, there will be disability inclusion training in the morning for those who deliver tennis, including officials, coaches, volunteers and those who work at tennis venues so they can feel more confident when dealing with people who may have additional needs.

This will be followed by a schools session to showcase the support British tennis can give both special schools and mainstream schools to adapt tennis for disabled pupils, which includes training and free equipment.

The final part of the day will consist of free come and try sessions for anyone who wants to give tennis a go for the first time or who wants to work on their skills.

The Tennis Foundation currently helps to fund and support 29 disability tennis networks across the country, and the Road Show venues are all located within one of these networks.

Following the first event in Glasgow, the Disability Tennis Road Show is scheduled to visit Leeds on September 13, Wrexham on the 16, Warwick on the 17, Swindon on the 18, Sutton on the 19 before finishing up in Welwyn Garden City on September 20.

For more information click here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
June 2013: British disability tennis players showcase skills at Aegon Classic
February 2013: Disability tennis receives boost from London Youth Games