LTA become first to sign new charter to promote ethnic diversity in sport

The national governing body for tennis formally signed the Charter at the LTA’s SERVES Tennis Festival in East London on Thursday 18 April. The Festival, one of three being staged around the country this week, formed part of the LTA’s community engagement activity in the build up to this weekend’s Fed Cup home tie and saw over 150 young people from diverse community groups come together to play tennis at Lee Valley Tennis Centre. Fed Cup Team Captain Anne Keothavong and players Katie Swan and Harriet Dart attended the festival and joined in with the on court activities.

LTA’s SERVES programme is already a leading example of work being done to promote ethnic diversity in sport, taking tennis and its benefits to new people and new places. It takes tennis right into the heart of disadvantaged communities, seeing it played by young people in over 200 venues across the country as diverse as youth clubs, community centres, church halls, mosques and temples.

Over 10,000 young people have been engaged in the SERVES programme to date, with half of participants being from BAME groups and more than three quarters from the 30% most deprived communities in the country.

Signing up to the new Charter reaffirms the LTA’s commitment to further develop its work in this area as part of its ambition to open up tennis to more people. The Charter, entitled ‘Race Equality in Sport and Physical Activity :A Manifesto for Change’, is comprised of three principles; Capture, Commit and Celebrate. It was launched last month as a call for sports bodies to ensure that they are making a real and conscious effort to tackle the barriers that BAME people and communities face, as well as actively working towards a truly representative and inclusive sector.

On signing the Charter, Oliver Scadgell, LTA Participation Director said: “We are really proud to be the first organisation to sign this important Charter. The LTA’s new vision is to open up tennis to as many people and communities as possible, and we want tennis to lead the way in promoting ethnic diversity in sport.

“Our SERVES programme has already seen us make significant progress in breaking down barriers and engaging the BAME community in tennis. This week’s SERVES Festivals have been a great example of that. However, we know we have more work to do, and signing up to the Sporting Equals Charter is a real demonstration of our aspiration to truly make tennis a sport for all”.

Arun Kang CEO Sporting Equals said “For sport to become inclusive and offer opportunities to all communities at every level from grassroots to elite, then more positive action needs to be taken. I am delighted that the LTA are the first National Governing Body to sign our Charter, which will aid them in further engaging untapped Black Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and offer tennis within welcoming environments.

“The Charter will help with monitoring the growth among these communities in accessing tennis at their chosen level, address challenges and create positive interventions to increase participation. We look forward in working with such a committed and forward thinking NGB as the LTA. We hope to see other NGBs and sports organisations follow the lead of the LTA and also sign up to the Charter”.

As the first organisation to commit to signing the Charter, LTA were part of its launch last month, alongside Sporting Equals and Sport England. The Charter aligns with Sport England's ‘Towards an Active Nation’ strategy, which calls for the need to embrace diversity and change to get the nation active. Sports organisations have been challenged by Sport England to tackle under representation at all levels to reflect the society we live in. LTA’s SERVES programme, which receives funding from Sport England, is an example of how that is being achieved.

Find out more about the SERVES programme and LTA’s work to engage BAME communities in tennis.