Cheddar Lawn Tennis Club’s Sarah Strawbridge Presented with 2021 LTA Volunteer of the Year Award
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Somerset’s Sarah Strawbridge was presented with her 2021 LTA Cathie Sabin Volunteer of the Year Award on Saturday 25 September at Cheddar Lawn Tennis Club.
Strawbridge was crowned a national winner at LTA Tennis Awards virtual Ceremony on 24 June for her exploits to help grow tennis in her community, with Saturday providing the opportunity for LTA Councillors Andrew Fay and Lesley Cundy and LTA Volunteering Manager Alex Beaumont to personally present Strawbridge with her trophy.
The Somerset resident scooped the Award after continuing to champion participation through lockdown and adapting to Covid-19 restrictions. The Cheddar Lawn Tennis Club operator adapted creatively to the demands of the pandemic, showing consistent leadership and teamwork and helped tennis boom back to life in the south-west after lockdown.
The time and effort that Sarah puts into tennis within her community, especially at Cheddar Lawn Tennis Club, is incredible.
As chair and safeguarding officer at Cheddar Lawn Tennis Club, Strawbridge gave up countless hours in 2020 to create a safe environment in which to play tennis. In addition, she almost single-handedly doubled the number of sponsors and secured funding for court resurfacing and the refurbishment of the clubhouse. Strawbridge passionately promotes diversity and instigated an inclusive programme with Parkinson’s disease, Down syndrome and wheelchair participants.
She’s helped blaze a trail for volunteers in Somerset, enhanced participation and sponsorship and been passionate about promoting diversity and fostering an inclusive tennis environment.
Alex Beaumont, Volunteering Manager at the LTA said: “The time and effort that Sarah puts into tennis within her community, especially at Cheddar Lawn Tennis Club, is incredible.
“Our sport is so grateful to every single one of the 25,000 volunteers that go above and beyond to benefit their community and they really are the unsung heroes of our sport.
“A huge congratulations to Sarah for this thoroughly deserved Award.”
