REAL TENNIS
About
The Dedanists & The Society
Founded in 2002, The Dedanists’ Society is a private members' peripatetic club. At our heart, we are determined to see Real Tennis thrive.
Our members enjoy a strong annual Fixtures List across all UK clubs and several overseas tours.
The Dedanists (as our players are known) enjoy camaraderie both on and off court through matches, tournaments, dinners and other social events.
The Society is funded through members’ subscriptions, match fees, and donations. Additionally, we receive an annual grant from the T&RA. Money raised chiefly funds our flagship programme, the British Real Tennis Academy, which develops talented junior tennis players.
The Academy coaching aims both to increase the standard of tennis played in the UK clubs and also to produce Academy players and alumni who achieve success at the highest competition level.
Some of the notable recent successes are:
· Both men’s and ladies’ World Champions are alumni of the programme.
· 18 out of 24 players in the British Open 2025 draw were alumni or current Academy members
· Robert Shenkman - winner of the Amateur Singles 2023/2024/2025
· Vaughan Hamilton/John Lumley - winners of the British Open Doubles 2025
· Max Trueman/James Medlow - winners of the Amateur Doubles 2024
· Will Flynn - winner of the Seacourt Silver Racquet 2024/2025/2026
· Max Trueman - World Junior Champion 2022
· Max Warner - World Junior Champion 2024
The Society also contributes financially to the wider aspects of Real Tennis through tournament sponsorship.
Society Membership
Membership is by invitation only. The Society currently has some 200 members. It is funded by member subscriptions and an annual contribution to Academy costs from the T&RA.
Each year, the Society offers membership to a select few enthusiasts who:
• Enjoy the game and the company of their peers in clubs accross the world.
• Are of an age and handicap to enrich our match play strength.
• Will support junior real tennis by donation or active involvement.
• Could help to run the Society, now or in future.
The Society has a national reach and seeks to maintain a membership that is representative of all clubs in the UK. It was founded by MCC members who still constitute a substantial proportion of total membership. For this reason, the Society now seeks to recruit members from all clubs in the UK (and abroad).
The Foundation
The Dedanists’ Foundation is a separate organisation from the Society but closely related. It shares many of the same members, the same focus on junior real tennis and, by agreement, the Dedanists’ name. It was set up in January 2012 as a charity and a company limited by guarantee. It helps clubs to persuade more young people and schools to play real tennis - and provides these clubs with the cash grants and other support that they need. The Foundation is funded primarily by donations from founder patrons.
The Society and The Foundation
The Society is a private members’ club that directly funds and runs excellent coaching programmes for the select few who comprise the very best young players in the country. The Foundation operates at the grassroots level via the clubs. It funds clubs to recruit young people of all backgrounds and the ability to try the game for the first time. Real tennis needs both organisations. It needs the Foundation to attract new young players into the game. It needs the Society to generate the champions who will inspire those with higher aspirations and the ability to stay in the game and realise their potential
The Dedanists’ Society
Committee Members, Officers, Trustees & Other Appointments
· President
Josh Farrall
. Vice President
Carl Snitcher
· Committee Members & Officers
Simon Roundell Hon. Chairman
Tom Carew Hunt Hon. Secretary
Michael Llewelyn-Jones Hon. Treasurer
Chris Marguerie Hon. Fixtures Secretary
David Phillips Hon. Membership Secretary
Graham Tomkinson
Paul Weaver
Tony Friend
· Trustees
Guy Egerton-Smith
John McVitie
Catherine Walker
· Honorary Professional
Nick Wood
Dedanists Ambassadors
The committee has appointed Ambassadors to each tennis club to be the link between the Society and the grass roots membership.
The principal role of the Ambassador is to identify potential new members at clubs where we are in need of new members. There are some clubs where we have many members and others where there are not enough!
At all clubs, the other important role the ambassador fulfils is to act as the link, being the eyes and ears for the Society, to help match managers at your club raise a team for matches and to promote the organising of fundraising events at the club, for the Dedanists such as fun tennis skills evenings
David Phillips
Designated committee member for Ambassadors
Current Ambassadors are listed below:-
Bristol Jonathan Brown
Cambridge Christie Marrian
Canford Dr David Dickson
Falkland
Hardwick Candida Nicholls
Hatfield Stuart Rose
Holyport Yuri Kugler
Hyde James Wilson
Jesmond Fiona Harrison
Leamington James Holden
Manchester Mel Harding
MCC Tony Friend
Moreton David Phillips
MURTC Middlesex Mark Heffernan
Newmarket Jonathan Ellis-Miller
Oratory Pam Tomalin
Oxford Derek Williams
Petworth Julian Wilkinson
Prested Chris Vigrass
Queens Nick Browne
Radley Maggie Henderson-Tew
RTC Hampton Court Julian Sheraton-Davis
Seacourt Paul Weaver
Wellington Charles Oliphant-Callum
Society Rules & Regulations
Downloadable pdf