Lord-Lieutenant to open tennis courts and start Long Mynd Hike
His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire Anna Turner JP will be visiting Church Stretton this coming Saturday, 4th October, for a full programme of events in the town.
Accompanied by local MP Stuart Anderson and the town & county’s new Deputy Lieutenant, Jo Baugh, the day will begin with a display of tennis on the town’s completely refurbished courts.
Made possible through a partnership between the Lawn Tennis Association and Church Stretton Town Council, a generous grant from the LTA has made the work possible. All residents can now book courts on-line for £5 an hour, and free coaching sessions aimed at young people are provided on Saturday mornings.
After the formal opening the Lord-Lieutenant will meet around 40 volunteers drawn from across the parish for lunch before moving on to start the famous Long Mynd Hike. 650 runners from across the UK will set out to complete the gruelling 50 mile course taking in eight summits involving 10,000 of climbing, all within 24 hours.
Town Mayor Andy Munro said: “It’s a great honour to host the Lord-Lieutenant for not one but two significant sporting events in the town. The tennis courts look fantastic and are now truly accessible to all residents particularly with the free coaching sessions.
"Meanwhile, this year’s Long Mynd Hike is the first without Terry Davies who has led the event for many years, but with 650 runners it looks set to be another classic race. I hope people will join the town for the celebration."
