A RENFREWSHIRE man has challenged himself to play a 24-hour-long non-stop tennis marathon in honour of a good cause. 

David Bryceland will be raising funds for the construction of a much-needed all-weather tennis court in Podujeva Peace Park, Kosovo.

The former Trinity High pupil became aware of the plight of Kosovan refugees at school.

He gained first-hand experience of the situation later in life when he was introduced to teenage refugee Saranda Boguievci through a member of the Altrincham tennis club - after moving to the town in England. 

Saranda provided David insight into her life in Kosovo in the wake of the ethnic cleansing, and this encouraged David to take action to help her local community with the help of his passion for tennis.

David started fundraising for Manchester Aid to Kisivo (MAK) where he raised funds by completing triathlons, 10ks, and half marathons.

Throughout his fundraising campaigns, he raised £16,000 for the charity with his most recent attempt being the Manchester half marathon which he completed with his wife Becky.

When he’s not fundraising, David organises volunteer groups to work in summer clubs in Kosovo.

These groups consist of 16-18-year-old teenagers from around the Altrincham area who help teach the children how to play tennis. The tennis lessons are held in local car parks, using ropes as nets and cones to mark out the court.

David, who coaches at Hale Village Tennis Club and Bowdon Bowling and Lawn Tennis Club, said:  “After meeting Saranda and hearing about her experiences, I wanted to do something so volunteered at a summer camp organised by MAK.

“When I got there, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There were no leisure facilities of any sort, and the buildings were riddled with bullet holes. It was unbelievable, a truly humbling experience. There were over 500 kids at the summer camp with the main focus being on drama, nature, arts and crafts. There was hardly any sport and no tennis whatsoever.

“As it’s been such a big and positive part of my life, I decided that we had to introduce tennis into the community there. To do that, we needed to build a tennis court which is easier said than done. We had to jump through all sorts of hoops to form and register a tennis club before we could even think about how we were going to build it.

“I truly believe sport can transform lives. Every year when I go over, I see the difference our efforts make to the health and wellbeing of the kids we coach. I still find it hard to believe that without our efforts they would never have been exposed to tennis at all, let alone had a chance to play it.”

David is optimistic that this latest fundraising challenge will be the last required to complete the court. He is also a little apprehensive because he was hospitalised with exhaustion and dehydration after attempting a similar challenge in 2019.

“Since that event, I’ve built up my stamina and I’m much more sensible about taking on liquid so am confident I’ll complete the challenge," David added. 

“Over the years, I’ve received so much support from the local community around Altrincham and I sincerely hope this challenge will raise the final tranche of money needed to complete the project, around £5000.

"If I’m able to raise more than this, it will go towards buying equipment such as racquets and balls."