A WINCHESTER resident has raised an impressive figure in his attempts to support a Ghanaian orphanage and tennis centre.

Luke Syddall, member of Kingsgate Tennis Club, volunteered last year as a tennis coach for youngsters in Accra.

After consulting members at the tennis club, Mr Syddall and head coach David Woodford organised a fundraising tournament on Sunday March 26 and raised upwards of £1,000.

Mr Woodford said: “Luke is hugely popular at the club. We were all so impressed with his passion to support the tennis centre and orphanage in Accra.

“The inaugural tournament was well-attended by members and so far Luke has raised over £1,200. Our plan is to make this an annual fund-raising tournament for Luke’s cause, which we’ll likely call The Ghana Cup.”

Luke was left feeling touched following his trip to Ghana last year and gifted the children dampeners, tennis grips and sweatbands.

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He said: “I was humbled by their overwhelming desire to learn tennis, but they were lacking all the essentials we take for granted here in the UK.

“The tennis nets were ragged, rackets well-worn and in some instances, the children were playing with broken strings making it almost impossible to hit the ball as they’d like to. Tennis balls were in short supply, and those they played with tended to be bald and flat.

“There were no small rackets readily available for the younger children, but despite all that they were undeterred.

“What struck me most was the children’s positive spirit and sense of happiness and camaraderie in an environment we would find difficult to cope with. 

“At the tennis centre, it was clear they were lacking adequate supplies of very basic tennis equipment. At the orphanage, this could be said with life's essentials such as food, water, books, and clothes.”

To donate, visit: gofundme.com/f/a-tennis-centre-and-an-orphanage-in-ghana.