Local Face: Jeff Addison
Having worked in Manchester for some years, Jeff Addison returned to the South in 1985. He and his wife Gill looked for somewhere attractive, with a sense of community and good schools for their two daughters, Rachel and Kate. Wendover seemed ideal, and the family found a house in Linden Lea where they spent four very happy years. The family’s growth with the arrival of two bearded collies demanded a little more space and a move to Halton Village provided the answer. Twelve years later, the project to find a property in Wendover began and ended surprisingly quickly with the move being completed in May. The couple are very settled in the area and despite Gill’s Cheshire background have no thoughts of leaving the village and the wonderful friends they have made here.
When the family moved to Halton they joined the village tennis club, which because of its association with the RAF is unique, with some of the best facilities in the County. The Dome (nothing to do with the Millennium) gives year round indoor tennis and with 10 outdoor courts, various L TA and Services events regularly take place there. These facilities attract and encourage competitive players from a wide area so in that respect is not a typical “village” club. Jeff was a member for 10 years and Chairman for three.
Halton Village has no pub or shop. The natural gathering places are the Church and the Village Hall, where the excellent Village Society runs many events. Jeff chose this area because he and the family wanted to be part of an active community and whilst living in Halton he became a District Councillor. He found this a somewhat frustrating experience because although the District Council influences our lives in many ways, the nature of the organisation meant that decisions pass through many committees before decisions are made, and it is a very slow process compared to the direct nature of his every day business life. After his four- year term on AVDC he remained a Parish Councillor at Halton for 5 years and found that although budgets were small, results were possible and the work much more rewarding.
Jeff joined Wendover Lawn Tennis Club eight years ago because he believes that the organisation works at the community level, and he thoroughly enjoys the social side of sport. He also recognised that tennis can be played at a competitive level for a wider age range than many other sports. It gives him the dual opportunity to keep fit and have a good social life. He has noticed that younger people, his own grown-up daughters included, tend not to join named sports clubs, preferring to go to the gym, foregoing the social aspects of a structured game.
When Jeff joined the committee of Wendover LTC eighteen months ago, he is now Chairman, his main aim was to help ensure funds could be raised to put the cour1s in good order. People who walk along Dobbins Lane cannot fail to notice that 2001 has seen much resurfacing activity on the tennis cour1s. The final surface will only be laid at the end of August. The work programme has had to be planned carefully to allow play during the Club’s two main championship months, June and July. The Finals take place on 14th July followed by a Barbecue with the presentation of Cups & Trophies. This is the highpoint of the Wendover LTC year.
All sections of Wendover LTC are building well. There are Ladies mornings, Men’s and Ladies Evenings, Club nights on Friday evenings, and a thriving Junior section. The Club Coach, Simon Dunford is very enthusiastic and encouraging to all categories of players. New members of all ages are welcome and if you would like to meet new people a willing volunteer is guaranteed instant popularity! Tennis is played at all levels of competitiveness. Details from Jeff (01296 622951), Hon Secretary (01296624130) or Hon Treasurer (01296 623045).
Jeff has always found Wendover a convenient as well as pleasant place to live and as a commuter enjoys the options of car or rail. Rachel now lives in Bristol and Kate in London, but they both love to come home to the country for a break from the stress of city life. Jeff, Gill and Rosie & Teddy (the beardies) find themselves happily settled and looking forward to many more years of play at Wendover LTC.