Save the Children's corporate tennis tournament, is an opportunity for tennis players to represent their company, meet new people and play against celebrity wildcards, while raising funds for children.
Thursday 1 November 2007
The corporate tennis tournament is open to everyone. Budding Andy Murrays or Maria Sharapovas can team up and try to get through to the finals which will take place early in February at the brand new National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, the home of British tennis.
All the preliminary matches take place at venues across London throughout November and December.
The finalists will play against celebrity wildcard entrants to win the cup. Last year finalists played against newsreaders Sir Trevor McDonald, Sophie Raworth and the BBC's Middle East Correspondent Jeremy Bowen.
The event is supported by Barclays. Rachael Barber, Head of Barclays Global Community Investment said "Barclays is delighted to be supporting the Save the Children Corporate Tennis Tournament, part of the charity's UK wide tennis initiative which has so far raised around £2m to help children across the world."
Last year the tournament raised £25,000.
Each player pays an entry fee of £10 and is asked to raise sponsorship money. Large companies often like to match players' sponsorship money, or donate on the players' behalf. "Barclays will match up to £750 raised for each Barclays employee that takes part, to Save the Children," explains Rachael.
Meeting your love match
When Graeme Alston, 35, from Glasgow signed up to the tennis tournament, he didn't expect to come out of the finals with a fiancée.
"Heidi and I were both involved in the KPMG tennis club and she got me signed up to the Save the Children Corporate tennis event," Graeme said. "I made it to the final, which was being played at the All England Club at Wimbledon and we were together by that stage, so I thought: we are both big, big tennis fans, it's not often you get a chance to play at the All England Club, so what better chance to propose there on Centre Court?"
Graeme arranged for a tour to take him and Heidi around the courts. "The tour was a bit of ruse," explained Graeme. "I spoke with someone at Save the Children and they were brilliant. I had to let them know what was happening as I needed help, so they sorted it for us. We went into the changing rooms, the players lounge and eventually we ended up on Centre Court. They left us alone there - and I popped the question."
"It was totally unexpected," continues Heidi, 35, from Essex. "I'd come down to watch Graeme in the finals. It was a huge shock but a nice surprise when he got down on one knee: it was a very fitting place - we met through tennis, we're mad about tennis, I've been to Wimbledon every year, Graeme even met my parents for the first time on Henman Hill. And part of why I really fancied him in the first place was because he's such a fantastic tennis player!"
Graeme admits that knowing he was going to propose after the finals made him a little nervous, as he says, "I won the tournament the year before, but the year I proposed we didn't! So I blame it on the distraction of being focused on other things!"
"It's great that charity tournaments like these exist," added Graeme, "For us to get tennis clubs set up within a company it certainly helps if we're taking part in charity events. It's also a great way to meet people from the corporate community - or even your future wife!"
For more information and to register for this event visit www.savethechildren.org.uk/tennis, email tennis@savethechildren.org.uk or call the tennis hotline 0845 6017378.