JEREMY CAMERON 1947-2023
It is with great sadness to report that Norfolk LTA past President and LTA Meritorious Service Award winner Jeremy died on 30th December while on holiday in Trinidad.
There will be a memorial/celebration of his life and Norfolk Tennis will share details depending on family wishes.
We will also look to set up an on-line book of condolences. Please see below some words written by Richard Palmer:
Jeremy was a man of many parts and a very principled human being. I got to know him when he was President of Norfolk LTA from 2012 to 2014 and I was Hon Secretary. I knew he was already a well-loved figure within the tennis community in Norfolk and very quickly I understood why.
On the tennis front Jeremy had been a very good player and represented Norfolk men for many years, as well as playing regularly in veterans tournaments. For the County men’s team he won 45 of the 84 rubbers he played between 1971 and 1983, and he then went on to captain the team until 1990. His playing philosophy was firmly fixed on fitness and getting the ball back over the net and in the court once more than your opponent.
The following testimony from the current men’s captain speaks volumes:
“Since I became a men’s county team player over 20 years ago Jeremy has always supported the team, regularly attending County Week, Winter County Cup, friendly matches and practice sessions. He has equally supported the ladies team and there have been numerous instances where he’s been supporting one team at one end of the country one day then travelled to the other end of the country to watch the other team the next day before then yo-yoing back to the other team for a crucial final day.
His passion and love for Norfolk county tennis struck me early on in meeting Jeremy and it continued to be strong right to the end.”
As President of Norfolk LTA Jeremy was, and continued to be, a fierce champion of the less privileged and was the driving force for establishing the County Disability Tennis programme. Money was tight, but funding was found for a paid disability officer to get things going, and this set the tone for attracting sponsorship and other funding to develop a very successful programme that grew to enable more than 200 people with a range of disabilities to access tennis every month.
Jeremy was also a very strong advocate for inclusivity in all its forms, and constantly challenged those on the committee to ensure that we were actively seeking and encouraging volunteers regardless of gender, race, etc. We also became well drilled in ensuring non meat options were available at Norfolk LTA Council meetings and events. I think Jeremy could genuinely be regarded as a male feminist if there is such a thing.
As a published author, his skills in that area helped promote tennis. During his captaincy he would deliver humorous match reports to the Eastern Daily Press, ensuring that the humour would be retained by submitting his copy as close as possible to the deadline.
His book “How to Be President (of Norfolk Lawn Tennis Association)”, has become something of a cult classic and captures in his inimitable style the quirks of life as a volunteer. It has been read and enjoyed by many LTA Presidents and tells you everything about his passion for people and the game. Another book “Life Begins” takes a humorous look at the trials
and tribulations of a season with the otherwise unheralded Norfolk Women’s Over 40s team.
In all the years I knew Jeremy (in hindsight, all too few) I cannot recall him ever losing his calmness, and that covered the time when he bore his increasing disability with Parkinson’s with great fortitude and stoicism. He never lost the desire to help people.
We will all miss him immeasurably.
Richard Palmer, Past President and Life Vice-President of Norfolk LTA
2nd January 2024