Newsletter (July 2026)
Dear Members,
As we head into the summer, I wanted to take the opportunity to update you on the Clubhouse Regeneration Project and to thank everyone who has contributed so far.
What has impressed me most over recent months has been the willingness of so many members to support the project in so many different ways. Whether you have made a donation, offered a loan, organised a fundraising event, volunteered your time or simply supported the many activities taking place around the Club, every contribution has helped move us closer to our goal.
We estimate that we have now secured around 74% of the £1.2 million required to deliver the project. This includes £32,000 raised by members in our first month of campaigning. This represents a tremendous effort in a relatively short period of time and provides a strong platform for raising the remaining £218,000. During the summer our architects will complete the construction tender process and, at the beginning of September, the Club Committee will review both the tender returns and the funding secured before deciding on the next stage of the project.
That review will necessarily be based on funds secured by that point, rather than anticipated contributions. We know that many members are still considering how they might support the project and, if you are planning to contribute through a donation, member loan or fundraising activity, I would encourage you to do so during July and August so that the Committee has the clearest possible picture of our position.
Thank you once again for your continued support of the Club.
2026 Club Championships
Congratulations to all our 2026 Junior, Open and Senior Champions, and to everyone who helped make this year’s Club Championships such a success.
Thank you to everyone who played, supported, baked, umpired, worked behind the bar, wrote newsletters, cooked, volunteered and kept the Club running throughout an exceptionally busy fortnight. The Championships once again demonstrated what makes our Club such a special community.
A particular thank you to Alex Heath, James Ireson, Virunee Viravong, Aruna Iyengar, Sean Bidder and Hamid Irshad for their outstanding contributions throughout the tournament.
A Strong Start to our OC Clubhouse ’26 Campaign
In its first month the campaign has raised £32,000 representing around 13% of our overall fundraising target of £250,000 . Thank you to all our fundraisers and supporters.
Championship fortnight fundraising generated £5,000 through a wide range of member-led activities. Particular thanks go to Ajay Khandelwal for completing a half marathon in full tennis kit (£2,024), Roman Gonitel for introducing us to specially selected organic Portuguese wines (£757), and our catering teams whose fantastic food raised £1,393.
Looking ahead, the fundraising baton passes to Monty (11) and Arlo (7) Coletto , who have set themselves the challenge of cycling 100km in August in support of the Clubhouse Regeneration Project. We look forward to sharing details of how members can support them over the coming weeks.
OC Club ’26 t-shirts and caps, previewed during the Championships and modelled by our own “influencers”, will also be available shortly.
We are particularly grateful to those members who have already supported the project through significant donations and member loans. Donations of £1,000 or more, together with member loans of £5,000 or more, have already generated £27,000 (including Gift Aid) .
Significant Progress Behind the Scenes
Construction Tender
Our architects are about to begin the formal construction tender process. We expect to have a recommended contractor and price for member approval in September.
To proceed with the appointment of a contractor, we will need to have the necessary funding in place at the same time. The tender process will provide the first market test of our current construction cost estimate of approximately £1 million (including VAT) . The remaining £200,000 relates to professional fees and project contingency.
Club Reserves
Following the 2026 subscription season, the Club currently has approximately £530,000 of available cash reserves. This figure will be reviewed and updated over the summer.
Charity Bank Loan Facility
We are delighted to have agreement in principle from Charity Bank for a loan facility of £325,000 , subject to achieving our £250,000 fundraising target.
This is an extremely flexible facility. We will only borrow funds if required, interest is payable only on amounts drawn down, there are no early repayment penalties and no commitment fee. Based on current cashflow forecasts, we expect to repay the facility as quickly as possible, before beginning repayment of member loans.
If You Would Like to Get Involved
There are many ways members can support the project. Alongside financial contributions, many members have generously given their time by organising fundraising events, preparing food, baking cakes and volunteering throughout the Championships.
The simplest way to support the project is by making a donation of up to £1,000 through our JustGiving page https://www.justgiving.com/
If you would like to make a larger donation, please contact Caroline. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss making a member loan, please contact Bob.
If you are a UK taxpayer, Gift Aid allows us to increase the value of your donation by 25% at no additional cost to you.
Any Questions?
Further information is available on the Club’s website https://oldcollege.co.uk/oc-
If you would like to discuss the project or how you can support it, please do not hesitate to contact Caroline Beck, Bob Henderson, James Ireson, Aruna Iyengar or Alyson Fox.
Thank you for your continued support of the Club and the Clubhouse Regeneration Project.