We again asked all venues to nominate a maximum of three ‘Unsung Heroes’ who had gone unrecognised for their efforts at the venues, for example long-serving match secretary, someone who maintains the clubhouse, or a parent / former players who help at sessions etc.
We received 17 nominations and all were rewarded with digital thank you card and a £10 Costa voucher. We also thanked all our Senior County Captains for all their hard work organising their teams this year.
The following volunteers were nominated:-
| Nominee | Club | Nominated for: |
| Reece Simpson | Andover LTC | I would like to nominate Reece Simpson as our volunteer, he is new to our committee and in a short space of time has: Become an expert on Clubspark and trains other on how to use it. Renegotiated some contracts saving the club money. Has enormous energy and helps others in all their work. Assists our Head of Finance in banking and invoicing. Assists in the membership queries and renewals. He is also Captain of the Over 45 team and plays tennis regularly. He has a big smile and a great sense of humour. |
| David Ernsberger & Tom Mitchell | DLWE | Tom and David have both have given a lot of time and effort in producing the Tennis Hampshire Podcast. A podcast that is fortnightly in the Summer months with a premise to find out about Tennis in Hampshire and Isle of Wight. They follow, report on and forecast results from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Leagues and Apsley Leagues bringing both leagues to life. They follow clubs, highlight players and coaches in clubs and captains running teams as well as significant players. They interview various personalities around Hampshire Tennis and raise the profile of Tennis and Padel Tennis in Hampshire and Isle of Wight. With hundreds of subscribers and sound bites from people like Judy Murray who thinks the podcast is great – a fantastic idea! |
| Andy Long | JEM Tennis | Andy Long who also helps at sessions to hit in and is very good at encouraging beginners one to one. He is easy going and fun to have in a session. |
| Axinya Smith | JEM Tennis | She is creative and makes our content up to date, relevant and fun. She also helps at sessions with hitting in to make up numbers and playing with different standards and helps run the mix ins. |
| Jin Zizheng | JEM Tennis | Jin Zizheng helps run the mix ins and helps in sessions with playing in, helping to raise the standard of play in a session and encouraging the juniors. |
| Jane Reap | Old Basing TC | Jane, who has been the Treasurer of Old Basing Tennis Club since 2019, has once again played a pivotal role in evolving the Club over the last year. The major focus has been the quest to secure court lighting for the Club and Jane has been heavily involved in negotiations with the Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council (B&DBC) and the Old Basing & Lychpit Parish Council (OBPC) in an attempt to obtain approval to the installation from the latter. Approval was obtained from the B&DBC in 2023 but the OBPC in their capacity of landlord refused permission to install the lighting. Following several high-level meetings, Jane has produced a fresh proposal for consideration at a forthcoming OBPC Meeting which aims to address the concerns previously raised by some of the councillors. This has proved challenging as she has had to come up with a scheme which meets the requirements of the B&DBC and the OBPC. Through sheer hard work and determination however she drafted a comprehensive and compelling document which includes digital photos, thorough analysis and multiple appendices. The feedback received from the Chair of OBPC has been excellent and we are hopeful that Jane’s efforts will be rewarded with a successful presentation of our case in early June. The warming of the Club’s relationship with the OBPC over the last ten months represents real progress towards this end and Jane’s input into the project has been instrumental in this. The Junior Coaching Programme, which Jane instigated in January 2024, has blossomed over the last year with healthy attendance rates at all sessions and Jane has forged an excellent relationship with the parents and coaches. Circa 25% of the Club’s membership this year comprises junior members and we now have a separate Junior Members’ Summer Tournament for the first time in the Club’s history. In addition to keeping the Club profitable, Jane has carried out several secretarial tasks to keep the club ticking over such as preparing newsletters, managing the Club’s website, monitoring attendance at adult drills sessions and managing the coaches to name some. Jane works largely on her own initiative and is one of the most dedicated and efficient people I have ever met. The Club is more prosperous now than ever before and has attracted several new members this year which is especially pleasing. This is largely attributable to the energy and commitment that Jane puts into the Club and I thus commend her for this award. |
| Janet Petto | Old Basing TC | Jan has been a member of the Club for 25 years and served the Committee well for many years. Jan held the position of secretary for over 10 years until 2022. She minuted committee meetings and dispatched member communications regularly. She took her role very seriously, was happy to help in any capacity when asked to do so and nothing was too much trouble for her. Since 2023 she has kindly carried out other administrative tasks pending the appointment of a new secretary. This has been especially valuable to me. Jan is an excellent ambassador for the Club; she is a regular attendee at social sessions and frequently provides feedback to me on any difficulties that may arise. She is particularly well suited to greeting visitors to the Club. She has a caring, calm and friendly demeanour and puts people at ease, always ensuring that members are looked after when they first join the Club. Jan has an eye for detail and is observant; when players leave possessions behind after play has finished, she places them in the clubhouse and sends a message to the membership to collect them with a photo of the item. If she spots any irregularity on the premises, she will recommend an investigation without delay. An example of this in 2023 was a red light in the club house to indicate that the septic tank was full. Jan takes the security of the Club very seriously and will report any breach to the Committee promptly, such as an unlocked gate to the courts. Jan frequently waters the plants around the clubhouse on her own initiative and will ask other members to do this if she is not available. Jan is a shining example of how people should conduct themselves in a village amenity and fully deserves this award. |
| Penny Luke | Old Basing TC | Penny has been a member of Old Basing Tennis club for over 25 years and commanded a high profile both on and off the court. Penny has been a longstanding captain of our Mixed A Team and a Committee Member since 2022. Penny has been our Match Secretary for three years; the Club now fields seven teams in the Basingstoke & District League which is the highest number the Club has entered in this league. Penny is highly driven and able to put teams together quickly when the unexpected happens which is a terrific attribute. She has an infectious enthusiasm for the Club and is popular with the members. In 2024 she organised a Cubs and Brownies taster session at the Club which was extremely well received by the youngsters and group leaders. Penny has run three Mixed Doubles American Tournaments where each player plays a suite of games with different partners, and the winner is the man and the lady with the highest number of games. These have proved very popular for forging friendships. In addition, Penny is our Publicity Officer and frequently writes articles for the local press in Old Basing and prepares posters for the Club in the village. She has also advertised the Club at local events to promote it as an attractive community asset and does an excellent job keeping our communications updated. She acquired and installed a new notice board for the club house this year. Socially, Penny has run quizzes for friends and families and attends social play sessions where possible to encourage healthy attendance rates. Finally, Penny drafted our new constitution and code of conduct last year. This was a very technical exercise which required sustained focus throughout the process. Penny has played a prominent role in moving the Club forward, displaying boundless energy and deserves this award. |
| Caroline Tibbs | Rowlands Castle LTC | Enthusiastic / Cheerful Club Secretary with an excellent friendly, but business like communication manner, keeping members up-to-date with club matters. Organises Annual Quiz Night for fund raising. Manages the Monday and Friday rota for Social roll-up tennis, rounding-up and reminding volunteers. Organises American Tournaments. Always happy to help with Committee matters. |
| Jane Crawshaw | Swanmore LTC | Jane’s creativity and dedication have transformed the visual heart of Swanmore Tennis Club. The once-tired flower bed by the clubhouse now bursts with colour and life, and her beautifully arranged patio pots evolve with the seasons, creating a vibrant and welcoming space for all. Her thoughtful planting and constant care bring pride and joy to our club, making a lasting impression on members and visitors alike. In a self-run club like ours, volunteers like Jane make all the difference. Her work lifts spirts, enhances our shared environment, and reminds us that the little things are what make Swanmore feel like a true community and a club to be proud of. |
| Jane Goodwin | Swanmore LTC | Jane stepped forward with grace and warmth during a difficult time for the club, following the sad loss of Bash Kara. She kept our mix-in sessions going, creating a welcoming space where players of all levels could feel included and valued. Her positivity encouraged people back onto court and strengthened the social side of our club. She also plays a key role in junior coaching, where her enthusiasm and encouragement help children — especially girls — find confidence, fun, and friendship through tennis. At a club run by its members, Jane’s contributions are a shining example of how volunteers builds connection continuity, and a sense of belonging. Her efforts have brought people together, and that is at the heart of what Swanmore stands for. |
| Sally Walker | Swanmore LTC | Sally’s behind-the-scenes contributions have had a huge impact on the safety, cleanliness, and day-to-day running of our club. She identified and implemented a treatment for moss and algae on the courts, personally helped apply it with her husband, and then took on the immense task of power-washing and protecting the patio area — making both spaces cleaner and safer for all. She also established and manages our lost property system with care and efficiency, reuniting members with belongings and donating unclaimed items to charity. In addition to all this, Sally also volunteers her time by stepping in to help in with club run mix-ins and junior coaching sessions during the week. In a volunteer-run club, people like Sally are indispensable. Her initiative, hard work and willingness to roll up her sleeves ensure our facilities remain safe, welcoming, and well card for. She’s a quiet force who reminds us how much better a club can be when people step up and give their time for the benefit of all. |
| Barry Pothecary | Totton & Eling TC | Although we have nominated Barry before, we feel that a second nomination is warranted, as Barry has recently suffered some serious ill health, but despite that, has still found a way to return to volunteering to support the members’ mix-in on a Wednesday evening. So many members asked after him whilst he was away, and his contribution was clearly missed. It was such a joy to hear that he had recovered and was looking forward to returning to his valuable volunteering. |
| Fed Ramirez | Totton & Eling TC | Fed volunteers to support the children’s coaching on a Saturday morning and has done for many years. He started supporting his own child, but soon became inspired by working with all participants and now helps in the group, despite the fact that his daughter has moved up to a different session! He is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, a great help to the coaches, and a real asset to the programme. A second career in tennis coaching awaits! |
| Martin Borrett | Totton & Eling TC | Martin is a valued member and volunteer, who supports in so many different ways: positive feedback and enthusiastic embracing of new ideas; captaining a team; running the members’ mix-in in Barry’s absence; donating equipment; supporting coaches; and suggesting practical ideas. Martin puts a lot of time and energy into helping the management team to evolve and improve the tennis centre. |
| Matt Pond | Warsash LTC | Matt IS THE Men’s A team Captain, whether it be in the winter or summer, the Portsmouth & District or Southampton league, Matt leads it. The strong reputation of Warsash’s Men’s team is due in large part to Matt. He has done this role for a number of years; in the last year he led the ‘A’ team to promotion to Division 1 of the Hants and IOW Summer Doubles league, and even more impressively won the ‘Hants & IoW Youth & National League – Men’s Open’. There is a lot of work involved in running teams, and it is the Warsash experience that Men’s team require more work than Ladies – so Matt’s job is not easy. Without Matt, Warsash would struggle to field Men’s teams at the top level of the local leagues. His work is very much appreciated. |
| Pauline Udal | Warsash LTC | Across the winter and summer seasons, Pauline (PG) has captained a staggering 7 mixed and ladies league teams. There is considerable effort involved in running a single team: from player recruitment to match scheduling; from match fee gathering and administration to organising transport and refreshments. Multiply this by 7 and it is a colossal workload. In addition, PG has suffered from ill-health this year, but her commitment to the Club and ‘her’ teams has been unwavering. Her Portsmouth & district Mixed team won division 1 last winter. PG captains Warsash’s Ladies National team. This brings prestige to the club, to be competing in the “National League Regional Open Women’s South West (East) competition”. PG is also President of the Club, and until recently has been a trustee on the Hants and IOW council. On this occasion, it is her role as Captain which the Club would particularly like to recognise. |
| Sarah Gray | Warsash LTC | Sarah took the big step up in April 2024 to become Chairman of the Club. Her predecessor, Denise Franks, had done the job for over 10 years, and was a hard act to follow. Sarah’s first year has been successful. She has led all the maintenance work, including hedge cutting, which involves being the primary point of contact with Fareham Council. She was interim Membership secretary in addition to her chairwoman role. At the same time, Sarah also continued her role as team captain for both summer and winter league teams. Sarah has overseen the transition from one coaching team to another, ensuring that it was a smooth process for the Club’s members. She has also chaired the Business Plan sub-committee, to create a 5 year plan. |
