Theo is one of the co-founders of Tennis4theworld. He is a Senior Performance Tennis Coach at The Riverside Health & Racquets Club Chiswick by Virgin Active, and has coached his co-founders from the age of 4 respectively. Theo is also a Training For Warriors Fitness Coach: Chiswick Affiliate.

Theo’s mother gave him the gift of tennis at the age of 8 years old. As a result, he has been able to coach the game for the past 23 years and is strong passionate about helping others improve. Outside of coaching Theo has felt the need to provide others the opportunity to learn the wonderful game of tennis. He was born in South Africa, and has seen at first hand what living conditions are like on the rough streets and in the townships. By providing tennis equipment to those who can not afford it themselves, Theo’s aim is to provide the opportunity to promote good sportsmanship and help foster future leaders. A dream Theo hopes Tennis4theworld will achieve.

Amaya, a Year 8 student is one of the co-founders of Tennis4theworld.

It was when she was aged 6 that Amaya showed an interest in the many problems of the world we live in and one that stood out to her was the question of “why don’t all children around the world have the opportunities to play tennis?”  Later on in her regular tennis lessons with Theo she questioned this, and that is how it all started.

“As years have gone by I have realised the many unresolved problems in this world regarding many things, but the one thing I want to focus on is children’s accessibility to learn how to play tennis with good equipment and facilities”.

“I have learnt the fact that children may not be as fortunate as myself and receive the privileges I do, and this is why I want to help”.

Things like lack of equipment and facilities posed further barriers to children from participating in tennis and other sports and she decided to help.

She has co-founded Tennis4theworld, a charity which, with the help of donations, collects tennis racquets, equipment and kit. We then send it to children initially in Africa. Amaya began by asking for donations from her previous school, Glendower Preparatory School and collected several kg’s of racquets and kit. She is now asking for help from her current school, Wycombe Abbey.

Aarav, currently a Year 6 student is a co-founder of Tennis4theworld.

Questioning how children in places like Africa can participate in sport, Aarav, then in Year 3, aged 8, produced a flyer seeking donations of old tennis racquets, kit and equipment from his then school, The Falcons Preparatory School.

“Attached is a flyer for a charity which one of our Year 3 boys is working towards gathering equipment for.  I am always very impressed when a boy uses his own initiative to try and help others.  He has made this flyer himself and come up with this idea to support the charity.  Please have look it, this could be a chance to clear out a cupboard from unwanted sports items.” ……Aarav’s former Deputy Head.

With the support of the school, Aarav was asked to present and explain the impact of the charity to the School.  Aarav explained that students in Africa and elsewhere of similar ages to himself and the rest of his school during their free time after school and didn’t have the opportunity to play tennis or other sports. Some of them had to work in factories, not for their enjoyment or for work experience, but to sustain their livelihood. Many other children were spending their time after school working and were not able to use their remarkable talents. “To think that, by sending equipment we have outgrown or don’t use anymore, we might be able to make an impact on their life’s is simply incredible”.

Aarav has since joined Caldicott Preparatory School, and as a member of the Charity Committee, is similarly asking for donations from his new school to send to Africa.

Anju was born in England, and became a very successful recruitment consultant focusing on placing lawyers of all practice areas and levels into major London and international law firms in the UK.

Having started a family. Anju has been actively involved in the Parents Association’s of her children’s schools organizing charity gala dinners for parents where the PA raised funds for a bursary fund offering the equivalent of five full bursary places at any one time enable girls in the local community attend Glendower, Preparatory School, one of London’s leading preparatory schools.

“As a family we are fortunate and privileged to live in a world where we are able to provide our children with as many opportunities as possible to learn and play. I felt honoured to be asked by my own children to help them establish a charity where they can collect equipment and donate the collections to children who do not have the opportunities they do, and have joined Tennis4theworld as a Trustee focusing on sponsorship and administrative matters.”

Pawan was born in London, England and studied law at university. He started his professional life as a lawyer, practising with some of the world’s largest law firms in London and New York advising on numerous film financings for Chase Manhattan, Colombia, Regency and other distributors. Pawan became the youngest Senior Vice President for Sony Entertainment Television based in India, where he was responsible for activities including business development, legal and regulatory affairs, including helping to establish a distribution joint venture between Sony and Discovery, and acquiring major sporting and theatrical film rights. He returned to London, initially to private practice as a Partner, and is now an entrepreneur investing across multiple sectors (natural resources, media, art, real estate and traditional industries) in emerging markets (India, Spain, Senegal, Colombia, Argentina).

“The organisations which we are working with in Africa are running vital and inspirational projects with a high impact. We are delighted to be able to support their work in creating a sustainable future for these communities.”