​Club Recipients of the

Diploma for Services to Croquet

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[Issued by the Croquet Association and latterly Croquet England wef 2024]

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Peter Nelson – 2024

 

Peter Nelson has been a key member at Sidmouth for many years taking on a number of roles and applying his clear strategic thinking and skills of persuasion to move the club forward to its current strong position. At the same time, he has also been playing and enjoying croquet to a good standard locally, in tournaments around the country and overseas.

 

Peter volunteered to join the club committee in 2012 and has been Treasurer, and was Chair for six years until 2020. He returned to the Committee in 2021 to take over the role of coordinating open tournaments.

 

Sidmouth is a multi-sports club and Peter serves on the General Management Committee overseeing the running of the bar. He takes a leading role in promoting the club and developing players through coaching, especially efforts to help GC players to try AC which is his preferred format.

 

With his background in engineering, Peter has been a great help in the practical side of running the club, helping with maintenance of the buildings and even mastering the verticutter to enable the smooth running of major tournaments.

 

Beyond the club, Peter has served on the committee of the South West Federation, was the SWF representative on the CA and has recently served as Vice-chair of the Croquet Association Council.

 

Andrew Thomas - 2022

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A Club with a member like Andrew Thomas is fortunate indeed. He joined in 2013 the committee in 2014 and took on, almost immediately, the overall grounds member role in this three-Sport club. His opinion on grounds and equipment counts.

 

He researches thoroughly, saving thousands of pounds, significantly, for the alternative supplier of bespoke metal railings along Fortfield Terrace / Court 2 and the installation of safety netting around the cricket field. He is currently involved in replacing failing fencing alongside the croquet courts having made robust temporary repairs.

 

Specifically for Croquet, he was much involved in the refurbishment of our hut and the storage

storage extension addition. He master-minded the replacement of surrounding ball stops with angle-iron posts and created a 'wild area' in which he arranged for an innovative rustic bench to be installed - members now want copies for their gardens.

 

Andrew is the man who is always there. Most mornings he sets the hoops as a matter of course and pre-tournament ensures the courts are in the best condition possible. Not only dealing with the employed groundsman, tact essential, but the man who has developed tools to enhance hoop setting to ensure they are perfectly set - firm and accurate in the courts he probably mowed.

 

To the club's and new members' benefit, he took it upon himself to refurbish donated mallets and oversee their sale. He has refurbished a steamer's bench, fitted lockers in the main club 'Mallet Room', maintained a small thatched legacy shelter, laid paviour; mounted an external clock; installed cycle racks and on the list goes. On top of that, he is an enthusiastic Club Coach!

 

He makes a huge input into the club but he has a weakness - if asked to help he always says 'Yes'.

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Marian & Philip Harris - 2022

 

Since joining the Club in 2007 Marian and Philip have given unstintingly of their time. Marian very quickly joined the committee becoming the Social Secretary and the minutes stand testament to her major involvement in all aspects of making the Club a sociable venue for all. She then took over membership administration from ensuring new members were fully briefed to ensuring completion of CASC participation cards.

 

Philip was also quick to get involved. Initially helping to ready the courts for tournaments generally and then setting hoops. He willingly took on a SWF league team as his game developed in both AC and GC and became a Club Handicapper.

 

The Harris' worked together on the social side, then moved into internal tournament organisation and administration and the annual, task of getting 30+ trophies engraved. Marian's grip failed her and she had to give up playing croquet so, naturally, Philip took on the Membership role in 2018. This in addition to being a dependable hoop-setter and ready source of assistance in all aspects of the Club. Perhaps his main contribution has been his cheerful willingness to coach newcomers from 'Taster Day' to competent players. Outside of the annual recruitment drive, Philip has given up his time all too frequently to take on ad hoc new members, always with genuine enthusiasm and to the club's benefit.

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Over the years Philip has been an instigator of ideas for improvement; a 'keeper of the diary' avoiding date clashes and an always reliable, knowledgeable sounding board. Whatever the event requiring committee input Philip is there; first to arrive and last to leave.

 

The foregoing can only give a flavour of the time, effort and dedication put into the Club by Marian and Philip but they more than merit recognition.

 

David and Nancy Temple – 2020

 

David and Nancy Temple retired to Sidmouth, took up croquet and proceeded to get heavily involved in all aspects of the game and the club over many years. They worked tirelessly, on and off the committee, developing the sport in Sidmouth and were instrumental in building the club’s membership to practical capacity.  They were particularly keen to support and mentor new members and always willing to coach developing players.  Overall, they helped to make Sidmouth a welcoming, recognised croquet venue at home and abroad.

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David was committee chairman for several years and represented the section on the General Management Committee [GMC] of this large, multi-sport club. His opinion was always sought and he is recognised as a man who ‘get things done’.

He masterminded the fund raising for the irrigation system which is still talked about by the GMC.  No wonder that he is now the overall club president.

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Nancy, became a proficient player and then took-up tournament management. She managed the open B Level event for several years with an excellent balance of strictness, good humour and flexibility.  She also ran internal competitions and, as social secretary, maintained a busy social calendar; ensuring the club ‘worked’ for all.

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They were both club handicappers and reliable SWF league players. Both played in the intermediate team, captained by Nancy and David turned-out for the advanced league. In all aspects the Temples participated; from provision of teas to shelter repair to construction of the ‘coffee cart’.

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David and Nancy – a most effective team.  Always willing to assist with sound advice and practical, hands-on help, from which the Club has greatly benefitted.  Long overdue, David and Nancy well merit Croquet Association Diploma recognition.

 

 

Julie Horsley – 2014

 

Julie Horsley has been a member of Sidmouth Croquet Club since 2007, prior to which she was a member of Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club for 14 years. Whilst at Budleigh she served on the committee from 1999 until 2005 and was secretary from 1999 to 2003. For the last eight years, she has been an outstanding secretary of the South West Federation, a role which she now seeks to relinquish.

 

In addition to these roles, Julie has managed CA tournaments for the last eleven years. On average she manages six such events per year, mostly in the south and west but also further afield. She manages with great efficiency, charm and when required with a firm hand. She is invariably asked back and is under constant pressure to take on more such commitments. In

addition, Julie manages some of Sidmouth's internal events as well as being an active playing participant and referee. She acts as mentor and adviser to other club members who take on tournament management duties.

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Iris Dwerryhouse - 2005

 

Iris, at 40 years, is the longest serving member of Sidmouth Croquet Club. She was Chairman of the Committee for 10 years. In order to increase the membership of the club, she became a coach, referee and member of the Handicap Committee and is still active in all of these areas. Iris has been Secretary of the South West Federation and a Trustee of the main club. She has recently accepted the Presidency of the main club, which covers Tennis, Cricket and Hockey in addition to Croquet.

 

 

 

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​​John Hatherley – 2005

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John has been a member of Sidmouth Croquet Club for 25 years having served two terms as Chairman. He is a coach, Handicapper and referee. He has given countless sessions of coaching and has a very strong knowledge of the laws. His health now prevents him from playing as often as he used to but he can still be seen at the club encouraging members and offering help and advice.