Tennis and fitness centre celebrating 30 years
Billesley Tennis & Fitness Centre recently staged a 30-year anniversary event, which commemorated three decades of helping the local community develop a love of the popular sport.
The occasion featured a gathering of current and former employees, and long-time and more recent members, who ate a celebratory cake and shared many happy memories from their time at this much-loved local facility.
Since opening its doors on 16 November, 1994, the centre has been a cornerstone of the local community, helping players of all ages and abilities develop a passion for tennis.
Over the years, the centre has also welcomed some of sport’s biggest names, including stars like Sir Andy Murray, OBE, Martina Navratilova, Dan Evans and Jordan Whiley, MBE, who have all trained or coached at the centre at some point since it opened.
The centre’s rich history began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 1994, with music icon Cliff Richard, OBE doing the honours. Also in attendance on that opening day were former Wimbledon champion, Ann Jones, CBE, alongside various employees, including tennis coach, Hansel Palmer who still works at the centre!
Hansel reminisced about the impact the place has had on the community: “One major change has been the function of the building, it first started out purely as a tennis centre, but now we use it for other sports such as badminton, pickleball, karate and gymnastics. We now also have a well-used gym area, with cardio and strength equipment. It’s a great all-round health and wellbeing facility, and is such a key part of this community.
“I have many highlights from the past 30 years, but major ones include the friendships I’ve made through working here, being head coach for a while and seeing the local community use the centre to have a good time. I love being a part of such a well-loved team and working in such a vibrant environment.”
Former receptionist Sue Jones who worked at Billesley from 1994 to 2012, has fond memories of the centre: “I loved my time as a receptionist at Billesley, I even had the opportunity to coach tennis as well, which I loved doing, especially teaching the mini tots. I still visit the centre monthly and speak to my former colleagues and customers regularly.
“I have so many happy memories related to the centre and the people within it, from meeting my husband and lifelong friends to witnessing the centre thrive with people from the local community.”
To find out more about Billesley Tennis & Fitness Centre, please visit, birminghamleisure.com.
