NAPTON PADEL PROJECT UPDATE
October Update Part 2!
In our last newsletter, we summarised the progress made so far and indicated that the next step depended on Napton Parish Council (NPC) granting us a five-year licence to build and operate two padel courts at the Napton Sports Field.
We’re delighted to report that at its meeting on 6th October, NPC unanimously approved granting the Napton Padel Project a rolling five-year licence to build and operate two new padel courts at the Sports Field.
Establishing Napton Padel Club (NPad)
This decision means the Napton Padel Project can now formally become Napton Padel Club (NPad) and register with the Charity Commission as a not-for-profit charitable organisation.
Becoming a charity ensures that:
- Any financial surpluses generated by NPad will be reinvested into local sport and community activities.
- There is no financial cost or risk to either NPC or the Napton Sports Association (NSA).
- There are no legal or operational risks to NPC or NSA.
Although NPad will operate as a separate organisation, it will work closely alongside the NSA, with both organisations sharing the same charitable aims and supporting each other to promote sport, health, and wellbeing in the community.
Everyone involved will continue to be unpaid volunteers, committed to making this project a success for Napton.
In Other News
The Bandeja, a leading national padel magazine, will be interviewing us about the project, particularly the village survey and focus groups we carried out to understand local views and gauge support for bringing padel to Napton. We’ll keep you updated when we know more.
Your continued feedback is incredibly valuable. We read every comment, and your suggestions help shape how the project develops. Visit www.naptonpadel.org for updates or to leave a message.
The Facebook page has now reached about 10,000 views; a fantastic milestone given it was launched only a few months ago. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm!
Next Steps
- Apply to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) for a loan to help fund the two padel courts.
- Continue seeking funding and sponsorship from local people, businesses, and grant-making bodies such as Sport England.
- Prepare the technical specifications and tender documents for potential building contractors.
We’ll share more details on these next stages in our next newsletter.
Thank you once again to everyone in the village for your continued support. Together, we’re building something exciting that will bring lasting health, social, and sporting benefits to Napton.
