It’s game, set and match for Shropshire’s award-winning concrete block manufacturer Besblock which has signed a sponsorship deal to support one of the biggest tennis events on the calendar.
The long-standing Telford company, which also supports Shropshire Cricket, Shropshire Disabled Cricket and Newport Rugby Club, will be one of the marquee sponsors at the World Tennis Tour W60 which is being held at The Shrewsbury Club from March 30 to April 5.
‘Serving’ the community since it was founded in 1972, Besblock supplies award-winning concrete blocks to the likes of Bovis, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon, and is leading the way in Britain’s house-building boom.
The $60,000 tournament is part of the International Tennis Federation’s world tennis calendar, and is, outside of the grass court season, the biggest event in women’s tennis in the UK in 2020.
Besblock MD Andrew Huxley said he was delighted to continue his company’s association with sport in the county.
“Ever since my dad started Besblock in the 1970s we’ve had strong links with the local community and supporting sport across all levels is very much part of that,” he said.
“We are delighted to be supporting the World Tennis Tour W60 and seeing some of the best talent on the women’s tour coming to Shropshire.”
Besblock’s own figures make for impressive reading – the firm makes enough blocks in one day to build a nine-mile long, one-metre-high wall. It employs more than 50 people and has invested millions across all of its departments to expand the business and enable block deliveries to go further afield.
Currently the firm’s fleet of lorries travel more than 840,000kms during their deliveries, unloading an average of 1,261 tonnes a day.
To help launch the tennis tournament, organisers have created The Shrewsbury Tennis Ball Trail which runs until April 19.
Trailblazers are invited to discover 12 caricatures of colourful 4ft-high tennis balls – painted by students from Shrewsbury – at key locations dotted throughout the town centre to net themselves a prize.
Dave Courteen, The Shrewsbury Club’s managing director, said: “The town has really come together for the tennis trail, a unique, fun activity which is ideal for all the family to take part in on-foot around the town centre.
“People just need to find the location of the 12 tennis balls, write down the keyword on the back of each of them, and then submit their entries to have a chance of winning lots of great prizes.
Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said: “Major sporting events like this are brilliant for raising the profile of Shrewsbury, and we are delighted to support The Shrewsbury Club extending the tennis festival into the town centre with this trail.
“We would encourage people to pick up the booklet in shops and venues in the town centre so they can join in with the trail. You can also get involved by sharing your pictures on social media and spreading the word about the event.”