Hundreds of children, adults and charity supporters joined the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity on the first day of the Nature Valley Birmingham Classic at Edgbaston Priory Club.

In partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the Charity was able to sell over 500 discounted tickets, with 130 hospitality tickets, to watch some of the world’s top female tennis players show their skills on centre court.

Mike Hammond, the Charity’s Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to have been chosen again by the LTA as the official charity for the opening day of the Nature Valley Classic Tennis Tournament. It’s been a wonderful day and we’re extremely grateful to everyone who supported the Charity on the day by donating their money, wearing our QEHB t-shirts and taking part in the raffle.”

Staff and volunteers from the hospital charity worked hard in the sunshine giving out free t-shirts and goody bags at the entrance to many ecstatic tennis fanatics. One lucky tennis fan walked away with a giant Charity teddy bear after taking part in the raffle, and six children are now sporting brand new tennis racquets.

Thanks to the generosity of the tennis fans, the Charity raised over £9,000 to support patients, departments and new research and equipment at one of Birmingham’s busiest hospitals.

The tournament showcased some of the best female tennis players in the world including Katie Boulter for England, Naomi Osaka for Japan and Petra Kvitova for the Czech Republic, who also kindly supported the Charity by posing in one of the Charity’s t-shirts with the giant teddy bears before she took to centre court on Tuesday.

QEHB Charity supports patients at the hospital by providing ‘added extras’ that are over and above that which the NHS provides. You can support the Charity by donating here.

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