A COMMUNITY stalwart in Hayes has set his sights on a new tennis court for children, with dreams of Wimbledon hero Andy Murray hitting the first ball there.
Charlie Farmer wants to have a hard court laid on the grounds of Brookside Community Centre, in Brookside Road, with the sport attracting more young people than ever because of Andy Murray’s heroics at Wimbledon earlier this month.
He says it will cost about £35,000, and is now approaching charitable trusts who would contribute.
“We will have to scrounge for the money, but that is the way it has always been done. We have got a football cage here, and we are seeing more and more kids come with tennis rackets, so I don’t think we would be short of players. Maybe Andy Murray would come and open it for us.”
He added that he would seek an instructor who could teach young people visiting the court the basics of the game, and perhaps nurture the talent of Britain’s next Grand Slam contender.
Mr Farmer, now 87, has been a voluntary youth worker in the borough for nearly 50 years.
First running the Hayes End Methodist Church and Sweetcroft youth clubs, he planned a huge street party and procession at Hayes Park School for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977.
Realising there was a demand for a hub for local people, he raised £110,000 and set up the Charville Community Centre, in Bury Avenue, Hayes, in 1984. He worked his magic again and negotiated the land and funds for the Brookside centre, which opened in 1991.
