Next week, promising tennis players from across the UK are set to descend on the iconic grass courts of SW19 for the national finals of Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, supported by The All England Lawn Tennis Club and the LTA. Staged at the All England Club from Sunday 6 – Saturday 12 August, this year’s Play Your Way to Wimbledon finals will be the largest in the event’s history due to the additional categories, which includes an adults’ doubles pathway, visually impaired, wheelchair and learning disability tennis. These will sit alongside the regular programming of the girls’ and boys’ 14U singles and 18U doubles.

Earlier this year, the Grand Slam® Board announced the recipients of the Grand Slam Player Grants for the 2023 season, supported by the Grand Slam Player Development Programme. From the 51 grant recipients, a number of junior and professional players have made encouraging progress during the season thus far. Their achievements have been highlighted below:

​ As we celebrate National Gardening Week at the AELTC, we talk to Senior Gardener, Robin Murphy, about his career path to Wimbledon. In 2004, Robin Murphy – a trained carpenter, joined the All England Club on a summer job, no experience with gardening – nor a particular passion for it. 19 years later, now the Senior Gardener within the Club’s prestigious Horticulture team, Robin’s love for his work is undeniably evident – as it is infectious. After enjoying his glimpse into a career in hortic

​The start of May marks National Gardening Week – an annual event hosted by the Royal Horticulture Society, where all things gardening are celebrated. Taking place from 1 – 7 May, this year’s Gardening Week theme celebrates the King’s Coronation and the love of colourful gardening across the UK. However, the week also looks to raise awareness of the positive impacts gardening can have on individuals – whether that being improved mental health, improved physical health, or the enjoyment of worki

​As a young intern for the LTA, Joanne Simons carried out the winner’s trophy onto court during the final of the WTA Birmingham tournament in 2011, hoping to start a career in tennis. Now, she resides as a manager within The All England Lawn Tennis Club’s prestigious Professional Tennis team. Last November, however, proved an important milestone: 10 years of working at the AELTC. In reflecting on her career so far, Joanne discusses her time at the Club, the steps she’s taken throughout her work

​Wimbledon and Crisis come together for Christmas Over the festive period, Wimbledon colleagues were given the opportunity to collaborate with the Wimbledon Foundation’s homelessness charity partner, Crisis, to make a difference for those facing homelessness at Christmas. Across two days in December, seven staff members offered their time to assist the team at Crisis with a range of tasks; whether that be setting up one of Crisis’ four day centres, carrying out welfare checks, delivering meals

Buying an alcoholic drink is expensive. It’s a process filled with excitement as you watch the bartender pour away, yet it’s soon questioned when you see £7 illuminating the contactless payment screen. Your bank account is screaming at you – paying that amount for a glass of liquid, but you delay the thought for when you check your online banking in the morning. With the cost of living increasing, the price of alcohol is one of the many financial pressures people face, so it stands to reason a g

Hangovers are different for everyone. Some people wake up blissfully and go about their day, while others fail to keep their food down. Then there are those who can’t remember the night before, becoming riddled with fear as a consequence. Experiencing anxiety when hungover – now commonly known as ‘hangxiety’ – is an increasingly-discussed phenomenon. But what is it, exactly? Research shows that hangxiety affects around 12% of individuals, with feelings of dread setting in after drinking. In ord

The Aperol Spritz has become something of a liquid phenomenon over the last few years, labelled as “drink of the summer” by Refinery29 in 2019. But what about those who don’t drink alcohol? What is an equally-zingy alternative? Originally from Italy, an Aperol Spritz consists of Aperol, Prosecco, soda water and orange slices. In its homeland, the Aperol Spritz has always been a staple; enjoyed by many while sitting in the sunshine with a meal. In the UK, whether you’re in a pub garden or in a r

A study by researchers from Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and SPECTRUM Consortium UK found that alcohol was shown or alluded to an alarming amount of times, compared to tobacco and foods high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS). The team watched every episode from 20 different series of reality TV shown on broadcast TV and Netflix from August 2019-2020, including Geordie Shore, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Love is Blind, Love Island: Winter, Made in Chelsea, Married at

Ten years ago, Laura Willoughby MBE stopped drinking. She realised that a career fuelled by “cheap white wine” and every-other-day drinking was becoming problematic. In 2014, after two years of sobriety, Willoughby created Club Soda; a venture that turned her life around. Laura describes Club Soda as a “mindful drinking” community which helps people tackle their drinking habits. What started as a Facebook group is now a globally-recognised business that runs masterclasses, online courses and al

Talking with Francisco Garcia felt familiar. Like the impression his writing gives, he is a friendly conversationalist – one that starts with a firm handshake. The 29-year-old’s first book, If You Were There, investigates missing people – those who have searched, those who still are searching, and those who have been found. All the while, it delves into his own experience, because his father went missing twenty years ago. Soon after publishing, the fate of his father and paternal family was disc

Those living with dementia are still struggling to access support services post-Covid, says Dementia UK’s marketing lead. But with its new campaign, the charity hopes to turn this around. Dementia UK is on a mission to raise awareness of its services among the friends and families of those living with dementia, as it launches its biggest ever brand campaign. The ‘I Live With Dementia’ campaign shines a light on the impact dementia has not only on those struck by the condition, but their loved

Over half (54.1%) of marketers believe employment numbers at their companies will stay the same over the coming quarter, while just 7.1% predict job losses. Despite the impact inflation and the Ukraine crisis is having on businesses, marketers are signalling a “robust” outlook for recruitment over the next three months. In fact, almost four in ten (38.8%) marketers report “strong intentions” to boost employment within their companies, according to IPA Bellwether data gathered exclusively for M

Asos delivered revenue growth of 4% in the six months to 28 February, and an adjusted profit before tax of £14.8m. This marks an 87% drop in profit since last year. Asos has revealed plans to increase marketing investment, despite short-term cost pressures brought by rising inflation, as it looks to “capture significant long-term opportunities”. For the six months to 28 February 2022, the online retailer’s marketing investment amounted to £119.7m – a more than £10m increase on the same period

Sir John Hegarty says brands’ obsession with promotion over creativity means they are not producing marketing that people love, which is effectively making the industry worse. Sir John Hegarty believes the rise of digital technology has led to brands’ obsession with “stalking” consumers rather than inspiring them, which is impacting their ability to build long-term relationships. Speaking at the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA)’s Global Marketer Week today (7 April), he said brands have b

New data shows a post-Covid rebound in marketing spend is underway, with growth to accelerate over the next three years. However, UK growth will be among the slowest. Global marketing investment is expected to grow 30% by 2025, according to new forecasts by Forrester – an increase of $4.7trn (£3.5trn). Despite the impact of the pandemic, an estimated $3.6trn (£2.6trn) was spent by public companies on marketing in 2021. Spend was therefore up 13% on 2020 and 2% on 2019, indicating a rebound in

We arm you with all the numbers you need to tackle the week ahead. Organisations that are customer centric achieve nine times higher revenue growth than those that are not, according to a study of 110 businesses across Europe. The study finds that just 36% of organisations are truly customer centric, but those that are have an average revenue growth rate of 8.7%. This compares to 0.8% for those with low to medium levels. The study suggests this is due to customer centric companies being more l

On October 21, 2007, the body of a young man was found in a London public toilet. The only possessions he had with him were a travel pass, cigarettes and some betting slips. Fourteen years later, his identity remains unknown. On December 31, 2018, a man’s body was found in a salt marsh, Lincolnshire. His possessions included a plastic school sports day medal and a small mirror. Three years on, his identity remains unknown. On May 19, 2006, a woman was found outside St Helier’s Hospital, Sutton,

Once it was where the Victorians of East London took their deceased loved ones before burial, the black horses and coaches providing a spectacle along Commercial Road. Now it is being restored to its former grandeur – but as an American style burger restaurant. Despite the radical change of use, the project has the backing of heritage bodies, with The Heritage of London Trust leading the restoration. From the 19th Century, the building in Tower Hamlets was a family-owned funeral parlour called