Celebrating an ace ten years at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre – Love Tennis Blog

Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre celebrates its tenth anniversary since opening to the public following the London 2012 Games with an exciting open day of family friendly tennis sessions, along with hockey exhibitions on Sunday 23 June.

Over the past decade, this thriving London 2012 legacy venue, known as the “Wembley of English Hockey” has welcomed 1.3 million visitors and hosted 13 major international events including 455,000 taking part in hockey and tennis.

Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, managed by GLL, a charitable social enterprise and worker-owned cooperative, operating under the community-brand, Better, has delivered a string of near continuous events from unforgettable moments including Vitality Women’s Hockey World Cup to the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters and the prestigious FIH Pro League since 2018, in partnership with England Hockey.

London 2012’s only purpose-built Paralympic venue which played host to the Wheelchair Tennis was swiftly transformed into the community focused Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, and, building on its Paralympic roots, a regional hub for disability tennis with a fully inclusive tennis programme.

The venue has played a pivotal role in transforming sporting opportunities across the region and beyond, providing top rate hockey and tennis facilities for players of all backgrounds and abilities.

Anyone can play tennis at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre and to mark our anniversary on Sunday 23 June 2024 we’re inviting the public to enjoy a fantastic selection of activities that will suit the whole family but won’t wear a hole in your wallet, including free exhibition matches to watch on the day. These include –

• Hockey Masters Tournament (12:00 – 15:00):
  • Veteran players from East London, Wapping, Crostyx, and Waltham Forest will compete on the pitch.
• Exhibition Tennis Matches (13:00 – 16:00):
  • Jamie v Tiago: 13:00 – 14:30
  • Justina v Jovana: 14:30 – 16:00
• Free outdoor tennis for kids
  • 4 – 6 years (11:00 – 13:00)
  • 5 – 8 years (15:00 – 17:00)
• Our Café will be open from 10:00 – 16:30

Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, owners of Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre said, “10 years on and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre remains a shining example of London 2012’s enduring sporting legacy. A busy schedule of prestigious major international events, such as the recent FIH Pro League which attracted over 25,000 fans, including 3,000 school children, keep the magic of London 2012 alive, inspiring future generations.

“Meanwhile our inclusive community programmes break down barriers and ensure access for the widest possible range of players, including those with a range of disabilities, underrepresented clubs and community groups looking to boost their physical and mental wellbeing.

“Over the past decade Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre has transformed sporting opportunities for communities near and far and we look forward to the impact that this thriving venue will have during the next 10 years and beyond.”

Rachel Seddon, General Manager at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, said: “Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre has become the home of hockey, and not only that, we’ve created a fantastic hockey and tennis community at the centre. We’re proud to celebrate its 10 year anniversary and are offering up the chance to watch great exhibition matches as well as activities throughout the day. Here’s to another decade of success.”

Don’t miss out on this chance to celebrate a decade of hockey and tennis at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, please visit:

Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre is part of Lee Valley Regional Park, which stretches 26 miles along the River Lee from East India Dock Basin on the Thames to Ware in Hertfordshire. The park offers a range of great activities, days out and attractions from cycling, white water sports and angling to horse riding, ice skating, hockey and camping, alongside award winning nature reserves, green spaces, heritage sites and riverside trails.

·       Located in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre has four indoor and six outdoor tennis courts, as well as two of the best hockey pitches in the country.

·       This unique £30 million venue hosts a range of community, club and elite events and offers coaching sessions for children and adults, beginners to competition level players as well as pay and play.

·       The former London 2012 site was the only new venue purpose built for the Paralympic Games, hosting the Wheelchair Tennis events.

·       Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre staged the Unibet EuroHockey Championships in 2015, the Women’s and Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy in 2016 and the elite NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters between 2014 and 2016, welcoming top flight players such as Britain’s Gordon Reid and the USA’s David Wagner to its indoor courts.

·       The venue hosted the Investec Internationals and Hockey World League Semi-Final tournaments in 2017, featuring some of the world’s best men’s and women’s hockey players. In 2018, it staged the FIH Vitality Women’s Hockey World Cup which attracted 120,000 spectators – the third largest sports event at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park since 2012. It is a host venue for the FIH Hockey Pro League.

·       The main hockey stadium has capacity for 5,000 spectators, including space and seating for wheelchair users and their carers.  For major events, this capacity can be increased to welcome thousands more.

·       The construction of Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre was funded by its owners Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Lawn Tennis Association.

·       Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre is owned by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, Leadmill Lane, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 3AD

Tel: 0300 003 0614

Social Media

·        Twitter: @LeeValleyHTC

·        Instagram: @leevalleyhtc

·        Facebook: @LeeValleyHockeyandTennisCentre

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