Having launched Pride in Tennis in 2022, we realised quickly that there was a strong desire from venues around the UK to find the best ways their venues can be welcoming to the LGBTQ+ communities. Sadly we also came into contact with some LGBTQ+ people who shared their lived experiences of the barriers they found at their local clubs.

Thanks to help from the LTA’s new Community Foundation we’ve been able to put this package together to offer every club, park, county and commercial tennis venue in the UK the opportunity to support and celebrate their queer tennis participants.

Objectives of Rally Allies

• To improve awareness of the barriers & inequalities LGBTQ+ people face in the sporting environment for volunteers, coaches and venue workforce.

• To encourage more tennis venues to take some positive action to be visibly LGBTQ+ inclusive.

• To educate key people at grassroots entry level so they can allow tennis participants to play as their authentic selves with confidence and without prejudice.

Rally Allies Webinar

Created and delivered by a partnership between LEAP sports Scotland, the LTA and Pride in Tennis, covering the following topics:

• LGBTQ+ identities

• The impact of homophobia and exclusion

• Barriers to sport for LGBTQ+ people,

• How to be an LGBTQ+ ally,

• Welcoming trans and non-binary people

• Inclusion event ideas

How do I sign up to Rally Allies?

In order to sign up to Rally Allies your venue will need to attend a webinar. Here you will find a list of dates for our next series of planned webinars.

Rally Allies resources pack:

Only available to attendees of the webinar, to help them create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ people at their local tennis venue. The pack includes:

·       To dress the venue: Progress flag, rainbow bunting and a rainbow charter

·       For the coach, captain or workforce to wear: rainbow laces and sweatbands

·       For a pride themed event: rainbow dampeners, stickers, face paint and an advice sheet

Here is a list of current Rally Allies venues who have already signed up.