A south Cumbrian tennis club is among 20 organisations across the county sharing in £20,000 from broadband provider Fibrus.
The firm’s Play It Forward Fund offers grants of up to £1,000 to grassroots groups to help children’s sports clubs buy equipment and kits or improve facilities.
Kendal Lawn Tennis Club benefited from an £1,000 grant, which will pay for free coaching sessions and new junior equipment.
It has around 30 junior members and 60 children and teenagers who attend coaching sessions.
Club chair Caz Graham said: “We have quite a lot of old kit including some that’s beyond repair.
“This grant will allow us to replace some of that, such as rackets and mini nets, and the special types of balls with less pressure so children can get going and play matches and competitions even if they are just five or six.
“There’s some new kit as well such as targets to help kids learn to aim and hit the ball in the right place. We will also be able to pay for our junior coaches to do some sessions with kids as well.
“It means youngsters can turn up without anything and just get on the court and have a bash and see if they like it. It’s a brilliant sport for kids, it builds confidence and you make so many friends.”
Ms Graham has been a member of the club for more than 20 years and is a broadcaster on Radio 4’s Farming Today.
She added: “We want to get away from the idea that tennis is posh. In Cumbria it’s not a posh sport, all kids play tennis. It’s a sport for everyone.
“We just want as many kids as possible to get on the court and have a go.”
The club recently held a Wimbledon-style competition day for children, which included strawberries and cream, alongside an adult event with Pimms.
One club member, Andrew Butcher, started as a junior and became a linesman at Wimbledon for many years.
Ms Graham said: “It’s a brilliant sport that will make them happy for the rest of their lives. I started tennis bashing a ball against a barn wall on our farm near Carlisle. It’s a great way to meet new people and make friends wherever you go.
“It’s a huge boost to the club to have this extra cash to spend on our junior players and improve the quality of what we can offer them.”
Linda McMillan, chief people officer at Fibrus, said: “Kendal Lawn Tennis Club is a fantastic example of the difference this funding can make, providing new equipment and free coaching sessions that will create more opportunities for children and young people to get involved in tennis and enjoy the many benefits of sport.”
Other groups to benefit this year include Millom Junior Football Club and Windermere Allstars netball club. Ulverston Cricket Club also received funding to buy new sports equipment, while Flookburgh Amateur Boxing Club & Gym in Grange-over-Sands invested in starter kits for young people.
