KIND-HEARTED young tennis players are celebrating an award win recognising their fund-raising efforts.
The Warwickshire 14 and Under Boys County Cup Tennis squad raised more than £2,500 for the NHS by running 170 miles between them at their respective homes.
The ten fund-raisers took on the challenge after the Inter-County Cup Championship – which Warwickshire won in 2019 – was cancelled due to the pandemic.
They received the Jimmy Hill Legacy Award as part of the #ThanksKids Campaign – organised by nurses from Rise Mental Health Service to recognise acts of kindness during the pandemic by young people in Coventry and Warwickshire.
The award was given by Coventry City FC in memory of their renowned former manager and was one of ten different categories. They were chosen from around 500 nominated groups and individuals.
The team included 13-year-old Ferran Redza from Warwick who spearheaded the idea, Connor Checketts and Ollie Roe from Kenilworth, Daniel Garthwaite from Rugby, Samuel Sitch from Solihull and Warwick coach Lianne Candappa.
The squad received the trophy in an online ceremony.
Senior nurse Nicola Evans said: “You are proof of how we can achieve great things together.
“You are all so awesome and inspiring and I loved how you encouraged everyone to join in.”
And Warwickshire Lawn Tennis chairman Sherrie Meaking added: “We are incredibly proud of our Under 14 boys for their efforts to do something so worthwhile and keep themselves cheerful and active during lockdown.
“This award is richly deserved and we all found it inspirational to see them announced as the winners alongside so many other generous and thoughtful young people.
“It was really disappointing for them when the Inter-County Cup event was cancelled together with so many other major competitions but I know this has also helped to bind them together as a team and set a great example to players throughout the county. We have some outstanding prospects among our juniors and we only hope that they will be back on court and playing matches very soon.”
