Wimbledon 2021
30th June 2021
30th June 2021
Wimbledon 2021 is now in full swing and the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has dedicated this year’s Wimbledon Fortnight to saying ‘thank you’ to all those who have gone above and beyond throughout this unprecedented period.
The exciting return of The Championships this year could not have gone ahead without the commitment and dedication of many across the country, and the AELTC is seeking to recognise this collective effort throughout the tournament.
At Chairman Ian Hewitt’s invitation, the Royal Box will feature a series of special guests on a daily basis, beginning on the first day with the inspiring leaders in the development of Covid vaccines; our dedicated NHS medical staff leading clinical trials as well as those engaged in critical care; NHS nursing staff honoured for their services during the pandemic; inspirational workers in the community and for Transport of London, and one of Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughters.
In order to say thank you, the AELTC has provided 100 daily Centre and No.1 Court tickets to various groups ranging from the NHS to Transport For London, from teachers and PE teachers to theatre, music groups and other inspirational individuals, all in recognition of the service they have provided to those in their communities throughout the pandemic.
AELTC Chairman, Ian Hewitt, commented: “The collective response to the pandemic has prompted extraordinary acts from so many across the country. As we come together to celebrate the return of The Championships, on behalf of everyone at Wimbledon, I would like to say thank you. We want Wimbledon to be for everyone, and we hope that this small gesture adds to the community spirit this year.”
As part of the Thank You theme, Wimbledon is getting behind National Thank You Day on 4th July. The AELTC will be hosting the unveiling of a national thank you card designed by author and illustrator Charlie Mackesy and signed by school children across the UK. The card will be unveiled on The Hill at Wimbledon by two local school children, pictured in front of a Thank You message from the groundstaff. Tennis players competing this year also added their signatures to the card before it travels to its next destination.
Charlie Mackesy said: “The past eighteen months have been hard for so many people. One of the few positives is that it has brought many of our communities closer together. I hope that Thank You Day provides us all a chance to get together and thank those who made the pandemic bearable.”
On National Thank You Day itself, which will see hundreds of organisations from the NHS to the Scouts, the Royal Voluntary Service to the Football Association say thank you to those who have helped us through the past eighteen months, the AELTC and the LTA will jointly be delivering ‘Middle Sunday Opened Up.’
Former England footballer, member of the AELTC, and Thank You Day Ambassador Graeme Le Saux added: “It’s great to see Wimbledon highlighting the efforts of so many groups and individuals who have helped us all get through the challenges of the pandemic. Sports, like tennis and football, have a unique power to engage and bring people together, so to have the very pinnacle of sport leading the nation in saying a big ‘thank you’ on Sunday 4 July shows us just how important it is to celebrate people’s sacrifices, and getting back to normal.”
What is Wimbledon without strawberries? Be sure to swing by the newest addition to The Pantiles, Oliver Greens, to pick up these seasonal sweet treats. Oliver Greens stocks Kent strawberries from Hugh Lowe Farms – the official strawberries for Wimbledon!
At Hugh Lowe Farms, they harness nature to grow their berries – capturing sunlight and rain to warm, feed and water their plants. They also encourage wild bees and other pollinators to flourish on the farm, as well as nurturing native beneficial insects to live in their crops to protect their plants.