East Devon sporting heroes honoured at Chairman’s Garden Party

Sports champions from across East Devon were honoured last month at the East Devon District Council’s Chairman’s Garden Party held at Knowle in Sidmouth.

The 14 sporting heroes were nominated by their town and parish councils and they were invited to the party to thank them for their invaluable contribution to their local community.

More than 100 guests attended the event which included the Mayors and Chairpersons from towns and parishes around the district and civic dignitaries from other district councils within Devon. East Devon District councillors and Honorary Aldermen were also invited.

Councillor Andrew Moulding, Chairman of East Devon District Council, announced the sports champions and gave a short resume of their role within the community while Cllr Tom Wright, the council’s portfolio holder for the environment, presented each of them with a certificate.

Cllr Moulding said: ‘It’s a privilege to honour our sporting champions who very often are the lifeblood of their communities. They put their own time in to helping people young and old get the very best out of life and they deserve our praise for their dedication.’

Each sporting champion was put forward by their town or parish council and they were:
- Patricia (Trish) Warwick (Axminster Town Council): Trish is a keen netball player and not only coaches more than 60 girls at Axe Valley College but has been involved with ‘Back to Netball’ which helps older mums to return to the game. Trish has always played and still plays netball.

- Roger Hoare (Beer Parish Council): Roger is club secretary of Beer Albion Football Club and first played with the reserves when he was just 14. He continued playing until his late 40’s and still turned out for the reserve team in his 50’s, when needed. He works tirelessly for the club in his current role.

- Gary Pinnock (Branscombe Parish Council): Gary is an enthusiastic leader for Branscombe Cricket Club, inspiring young and old alike.  On many occasion he has arranged charity matches that has raised valuable funds for various charities including St. Winifreds Church in the village.

- Vicky Carnell (Broadclyst Parish Council): Vicky is a founder member of Tornados Netball Club which has now been going for more than ten years. Based in Broadclyst, Vicky still manages the club which now has four teams with lots of talent coming through.

- Kelly Browring (Budleigh Salterton Town Council): Kelly has made a positive impact on sporting opportunities for young girls in the town by starting the Budleigh Salterton Girls football team three years ago. The team has now been accepted in to the Devon leagues and she has a regular group of 35 girls.

- Jamie Menhennett (Cranbrook Town Council): Jamie is the leader of the Cranbrook badminton club, developing a very successful grass roots group which is very inclusive, integrating those more able with those less able. The club is very popular and offers disabled users participation in the sport as well as beginners, competitive and veteran players.

- Richard Slade (East Budleigh Parish Council): Richard is well known for his tireless work volunteering for anything involving the community and village amenities. He is heavily involved with the local football club and although unable to take part in any sports now, he nevertheless helps in any way he can to support and care for the members, grounds and sporting facilities.

- Steve Pope (Lympstone Parish Council): Steve has been a valuable member of Lympstone Football Club since the club started a youth section in 2009. He started as youth coach with the under 8’s and is now youth secretary and treasurer. He is responsible for administering some 120 youth football players and without his dedication and expertise, organisations like Lympstone Football Club would not exist.

- Christine Pomeroy (Musbury Parish Council): Christine is an all-round sports enthusiast. She is the Chair of the Musbury Short Mat Bowls club and is also a member of the team at Lyme Regis with her husband and son (who has been picked to play for England). She plays badminton, attends pilates classes, is a member of the boules team for the local pub and she runs a keep fit class

- John Somers (Payhembury Parish Council): In 2014, John decided to form The Tale Millers Cricket Club, playing in a field set between the River Tale and a slurry lagoon on the outskirts of Payhembury. The club has been hugely successful thanks to John’s reliability, his wit and his determination not to let the club down.

- Dan McCandlish (Plymtree Parish Council): Dan contributes an enormous amount to sporting activities in the village. Dan not only plays a key role with the cricket team but also rallies the troops in mowing the cricket pitch and represents sport on the village hall committee. He also helps to raise funds for village sport being very active on social fundraising events.

- Ken Mortimore (Sidmouth Town Council): Ken has been a supporter of Sidmouth Football Club for many years and has been mowing and tending the field at the Manstone Recreation Ground for the club and on behalf of Sidmouth Town Council who own the ground, for over 30 years now. For almost a quarter of a century he has been the Sidmouth Town Football Club groundsman and prior to this he managed his son's Sidmouth Junior team from U11's to U15's.. Ken is integral to the football club and is a very big reason why it is thriving, and playing at the highest level in its history.

- Doug Ferguson (West Hill Parish Council): Doug is known in West Hill and beyond for his outstanding commitment to West Hill Wasps football club. Having just completed his fifth consecutive season as a coach his dedication and infectious enthusiasm is making a real difference to the lives of local children in West Hill and the wider community.

- Jill Dupain (Woodbury Parish Council): A keen hockey player, Jill has done so much for the community and hockey over the years. For example, last year she saw a need to have hockey back in Exmouth so she started a satellite club with girls from the community college to help. Each week they have over 200 children over three nights, all of which Jill coaches and registers. Jill is also a qualified umpire, umpiring on Fridays and Saturdays and then having junior tournaments on Sundays. She’s teaches keep fit and is a member of a number of sporting organisations across the district.

Pictured is Cllr Andrew Moulding at the Chairman’s Garden Party.