FAQs

No long-term committments. Not during the trial and not ever. The idea of charging people money when they’re not sure if they want to be a part of our programme sits very uncomfortably with us. We want members to stay with us because they love our sessions, not because we’ve tied them to a long term contract. The only thing we ask for is 15 day’s notice!

That’s totally up to you. If you decide to stay we’ll roll your trial onto the monthly membership of your choice. If you decide that Inclusive Rackets isn’t for you, you can cancel your membership at any point during the trial and say goodbye. We’ll be sorry to see you go, but we accept that we can’t be all things to all people.

No! We have members of all ability levels. Some have just started their tennis journey a few weeks ago, while others have been playing for decades. When you join we will recommend the best sessions for your level of ability, so that you get the adequate level of challenge and can progress at the right pace.

Prices range from £25 -£35 per month depending on the session. A club membership may also be required at some venues.

We are currently based at the following venues for Tennis and Pickleball.

Tennis

Helsby Tennis Club
Callender Way, Helsby, WA6 0FX

Pen-y-ffordd Tennis Club
Park Lane, Pen-y-ffordd, CH4 0HN

Hawarden Community Tennis Club
Gladstone Playing Fields, Hawarden, CH5 3DL

Pickleball

Deeside Leisure Centre
Chester Rd W, Queensferry, Deeside CH5 1SA

Frodsham Leisure Centre
2 Princeway, Frodsham WA6 6RX

Our all-weather courts mean we’re able to run coaching sessions in almost all conditions. However, if it is unsafe to run a session, we will cancel and provide catch up sessions or credits which can be used to book future sessions.

All equipment is provided but if you have your own racket, feel free to bring it. If you would like advice on buying a racket – please just let us know! Sportswear and trainers will be needed for the session and a bottle of water is recommended. In the colder months, we would certainly advise waterproofs and gloves!

No! This course is designed for complete beginners who want to learn the basics of pickleball in a friendly and supportive environment.

Yes, you can! Pickleball is perfect for beginners and players of all fitness levels. It’s a low-impact sport with a smaller court, so there’s less running involved compared to other racket sports. Plus, we make sure the sessions are paced to suit everyone, so you’ll feel comfortable while learning and having fun.

Pickleball is a sport for all ages. It’s low-impact, easy on the joints, and great for staying active.

After completing the course, you’ll have the skills to start playing in our fun and inclusive social sessions. If you’re interested in further coaching, we offer additional clinics, group lessons, or private focus groups to help you progress further.

Our course is £30 for 2 x 1.5 hour sessions

That’s no problem, just complete the form and we will get in touch to let you know about any upcoming courses.

Not at the moment, but we are always looking to add more sessions!

Walking tennis is a slower paced version of tennis with no running or jumping. Slower balls are used and 2 bounces are allowed. It’s ideal for beginners, older adults, or anyone returning to sport after a break or injury.

Yes! Walking tennis is designed to be accessible and low impact. You can take it at your own pace.

Not at all! Our coaching sessions are beginner friendly and perfect for those new to tennis or returning after time away.

Just wear comfortable clothes and trainers. We provide all the rackets and balls – everything you need to play.

You’ll have the option to continue playing on our Walking Tennis Coaching Sessions or with others.

All sessions take place outdoors at Helsby Tennis Club. The courts are easy to access with parking available.

The sessions work out at £7 if you pay for a block of sessions, or alternatively you can pay as you go for £10. To continue with the sessions, you would also need to become a member of Helsby Tennis Club, this comes with a great range of benefits such as free court booking and using the ball machine free of charge, plus much more.

Each day is a mix of fun, structured activities led by experienced coaches.

We start with warm ups and team games, followed by tennis coaching tailored to each child’s level. Each day is active, varied, and designed to keep kids smiling, learning, and engaged from start to finish.

Our camps are designed for children aged 5 to 12 years. We create age appropriate groups to ensure everyone has fun, learns new skills, and feels comfortable.

Absolutely! Whether your child is a complete beginner or has been playing tennis for years, our coaching is tailored to meet their individual needs and help them improve.

Please pack a nut free snack and a refillable water bottle for your child. We recommend comfortable sportswear and trainers suitable for tennis. Tennis rackets can be provided.

In case of bad weather, we have indoor activities planned, but if conditions are extremely severe, we will notify you early on the morning of the camp. In such cases, you will receive a credit or refund. if you don’t hear anything then assume the camp is running.

Our lead coach holds a valid DBS certificate, has completed safeguarding training, and is fully qualified in first aid. We prioritise your child’s safety with appropriate supervision and procedures to ensure a secure and welcoming environment.

If we’re at capacity, you’ll be added to the waiting list. If a spot opens up, we’ll contact you directly.

The Pickleball weekend will take place at Bidston Indoor Tennis Centre (CH41 7EJ, near Liverpool) There is free on site parking available for all participants, with overflow space nearby if needed. The venue is easily accessible from the M53 and public transport routes. Tesco is also just 1 minute away.

The event is open to adults aged 18 and over. It’s suitable for improver, intermediate, and advanced players — not complete beginners.

You’ll select your skill level when booking. Players are grouped by ability to ensure fair and fun matches. For the festival for the last couple of hours you will be able to mix around with everyone in an open play format for the festival.

For the mixed doubles competition – you will be able to input your partners name once asked (we can look to find you a partner)

For the Sunday festival – there will be opportunites to play with a partner, but it will be a mix at the beginning so you can meet some new people. In the afternnon you can come and ask to play with whoever you want.

Our event will take place on a high quality indoor acrylic surface, offering great bounce and smooth movement, using official pickleball nets.

For the Saturday competition, we’ll be using Franklin X40 balls (yellow, red, or orange). Players can agree or vote before the match on which colour to use.

For the Sunday Festival – it’s likely that we will use a Pickleball People branded ball in a range of colours.

The festival will cost £35 per person per day, or £60 for both days.

Withdrawals requested:

Cancel before 16th January: Full refund minus £5 admin fee.

Cancel between 17th January and 7th Feb. 50% refund minus £5 admin fee.

Cancel on or after 8th February: No refund.

These charges apply irrelevant of whether there is a waiting list.

At the time of the withdrawal:

If there is a waiting list, the player is NOT able to transfer their entry and their place will be re-allocated to the next person on the waiting list.

If there isn’t a waiting list, the player CAN transfer their entry. The recipient will need to complete a booking form and pay a £5 administration fee within 3 working days, otherwise the place will be released for general sale.

Yes, there is a great cafe onsite, and Tesco is just a 1 minute walk away.

Saturday Mixed Doubles Competition

On the Saturday, there will be two mixed doubles competitions from 10am to 4.30pm.

🎯 One competition will be for players under 3.49 and one for players above 3.5.

• Under 3.5 – players still developing consistency and tactics, from improvers to intermediate level.

• 3.5+ – players with strong skills, consistent shot-making, and strategic play. Competition experience is helpful but not required.

🔁 Each pair will be guaranteed to play 8 or 9 matches.

📝 All Saturday matches will be played using rally scoring, where the server swaps sides.The team to reach 21 points first wins, or the score at the end of 15 minutes will stand.

🏅 Prizes will be given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

Sunday Festival

On the Sunday, there will be a festival style event, where players get the opportunity to play as much or as little as they want, from 10am to 4pm.

🌟 Open to players of all abilities, especially those wanting to practise their match play in a fun, non-competitive setting, playing with and against people from different clubs but of similar abilities.

📊 There will be three playing categories: <3, 3.1 to 3.9, and 4+.

Improver: under 3

Intermediate: 3.1-3.9

Advanced: 4+

🕒 Games will be played using traditional scoring to 11 or for 12 minutes, whichever comes first.

To continue coaching after your trial, all players must become a member of Pen-y-ffordd Tennis Club. Membership helps support the club’s excellent facilities.

Benefits of Membership Include:
Book courts free of charge, depending on the package you choose
Free floodlight use during your booked sessions
Being part of a welcoming, family-friendly tennis community

https://www.penyfforddtennisclub.com/membership

Our coaching programme runs for 43 weeks of the year. Parents are charged for 39 sessions, with payments spread evenly across 12 months to keep costs consistent and manageable.

The additional 4 sessions are provided free of charge. These are built into the programme to cover unavoidable cancellations, such as extremely bad weather or rare unsafe court conditions. Most of our tennis courts are all weather, and we are a hardy bunch, so cancellations are uncommon!

If a coach is unavailable due to illness, we will provide a replacement session or issue a credit, since this is within our control.

If your child misses a session, there may be an opportunity to make it up at another venue — just contact us to arrange.

This structure allows us to:
• Keep monthly payments affordable and consistent
• Plan staffing and court bookings effectively
• Be fair to all families throughout the year

Coaching Dates & School Holidays

Our coaching programmes generally follow school terms in England and Wales.

We usually have breaks as follows:

2 weeks at Easter

2 weeks in the summer holidays

1 week in October half-term

1 week in February half-term

2 weeks at Christmas

1 additional week for coach planning, which will always be communicated in advance

To keep things consistent for all players and coaches, all sessions — whether in England or Wales — follow the same dates, even if local school holidays differ slightly.

Please note: There will be no sessions on the following dates in 2026:

February 21st

April 5th & 12th

Our amazing all weather courts mean we’re able to run coaching sessions in almost all conditions, and we are a hardy bunch so rarely cancel.

Weather forecasts can often be inaccurate, so we usually wait until nearer the session time to make a decision about whether to run a session.

We will always do our best to run sessions, even if they need to be adapted, where it is safe to do so.

Sometimes this might involve:

Adapting sessions to focus on technical skills

Running alternative activities, such as table tennis tournaments or other fun variations

If a session cannot go ahead, we will send notifications via:

SMS to the number you signed up with in our booking software

Email to the address you provided

If you would like another contact added to receive notifications, please let us know.

Important to know:

Coaches do not check phones while coaching

Sometimes we may be on court coaching while assessing conditions

We can’t always notify in advance, as decisions are sometimes made very close to the session time

Rule of thumb:

If you don’t hear anything, please assume the session is going ahead.

Our sessions are games-based, because we believe the best way for players to learn is by playing the game. Children develop skills naturally, stay engaged, and enjoy the process.

We use science-backed coaching methods, including:

Constraints-led approaches – adapting tasks to challenge players appropriately

Different balls and court sizes – to help children develop skills progressively

Player-centered learning – encouraging decision-making and problem-solving on court

We don’t focus heavily on technical instruction, as technique is highly individual. Instead, we create game situations that naturally encourage good technique and tactics while keeping sessions fun and engaging.

This approach ensures your child improves their skills, builds confidence, and develops a love for the game.

Our sessions are generally grouped by age, but we also plan activities to develop skills and teamwork.

At times, we may pair players of similar ability to focus on specific challenges.However, children are encouraged to play with a variety of players,which helps them develop different skills, adaptability, and teamwork by supporting each other.

Some sessions include leaders or coach assistants to provide extra guidance and support.

Even though we are a grassroots club, not a performance tennis academy, our aim is always to challenge each player appropriately, while keeping sessions fun, engaging, and inclusive.

A common misconception is that children must always play with better players to improve. In fact, playing with a mix of abilities is one of the best ways to develop skills, build confidence, and work as a team.

If you wish to cancel your Direct Debit plan, we require at least 2 weeks’ notice before the next payment is due.

To cancel:

Email us at [your email] or contact us via the booking system.

Confirm your child’s name and the plan you wish to cancel.

We will process your cancellation and confirm when the final payment will be taken.

We will be sorry to hear you go, but you are welcome to rejoin at any time.

Please note: If notice is not given 2 weeks before the next payment, that payment may still be collected.

size guide

The code to get into the club is 6508, this will only work when the coaching sessions are on.