Federer, Nadal, Serena, strawberries and cream – it’s the time of year when tennis is centre stage on the English sporting calendar with this year’s Wimbledon getting under way on Monday 1st July.

Wimbledon, of course, is the only ‘major’ to be played on grass, a surface that brings out the very best in the game’s top players because it can be played at such breathtaking speed.

The tennis may not be quite as quick at Leckhampton Lawn Tennis Club but one thing they have got in common with Wimbledon is that they are an all grass club.

And it’s fair to say that, just like in SW19, they don’t need to go too far for their strawberries either because their two courts just off Burrows playing field in Leckhampton, Cheltenham, are situated right next door to a big allotment where there is no shortage of fruit, or veg, for that matter.

“Yes, we are a bit of a throwback,” said club secretary Anne Gimingham. “We must be one of the very few all grass clubs around.

“We’ve also got a little clubhouse which we built ourselves – it was opened by the then Mayor of Cheltenham a few years ago.”

Anne, a former chairman of the club, has been playing tennis at Leckhampton for the past 30 years or so but the club’s archives show that tennis has been played there since the 1930s.

The club are also aware that grass courts existed on the site in the 1920s and some say even before that.

“It’s such a beautiful place to play tennis,” added Anne. “We’ve got Leckhampton Hill in the background, it’s lovely.”

The club currently have about 20 members but like all clubs would like more.

They play social tennis on Saturday afternoons from 2pm and Mondays and Thursday evenings from 6pm.

And Anne, who is 62, is certainly a big fan of playing tennis on grass.

“It’s easier on your joints,” she said. “It’s a faster game because the ball doesn’t bounce so much.”

Anyone wanting to join Leckhampton Lawn Tennis Club can turn up at one of the club’s social sessions or call Anne on 01242 581097 or 07719 737647.