STAFF and supporters at a specialist Shropshire college have rallied together to achieve a county tennis award.

Derwen College, a college for young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), won Disability Programme of the Year at the 2019 County Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Tennis Awards on Saturday, November 16 for its inclusive tennis programme.

It now qualifies for the regional LTA awards which will be announced in March 2020.

A representative from the college, Eluned Watson, was awarded with the certificate and prize by Tennis Shropshire chairman Simon Jones and Tennis Shropshire president Jilly Broadbent; and inspirational guests and speakers at the awards included ex-servicemen, the Atlantic Mavericks, who will be rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in less than two weeks time.

Sport co-ordinator Steve Evans said he was delighted that the efforts of students, staff and support from Tennis Shropshire had been recognised.

He said: “It’s very much a team effort. We are very proud of what students have achieved in tennis, and have seen some remarkable successes.

"For some students, that is winning a competition, for others it is simply seeing them pick up a racket for the first time, or building the confidence to teach other students how to play.

"We are proud to say that more than 100 of our students have been given the opportunity to participate in tennis activities which have encouraged social skills, self-confidence, and health and wellbeing. Most importantly, they’re having fun!”

It has been a busy year for tennis at the college. The Sport and Leisure Team have been working with Tennis Shropshire, with funding from British Tennis, to offer tennis sessions and competitions to all students.

A Tennis Shropshire coach has provided weekly tennis sessions, and students have been inspired by attending the Davis Cup Competition and Wheelchair Masters competition.

The college has also organised Derwen College Disability Tennis Festival which takes place in December 2019, with local schools and colleges involved.

Last year, Derwen students competed in the National Learning Disability Finals in Nottingham last year.