Last month, we were honoured to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, who presented The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service crystal and certificate.
This is the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK and celebrates all those who do something extra for the club and give it the very special atmosphere and spirit it has.
The Lord-Lieutenant presented the crystal and certificate to our President, Jean Firth, and Sue Stannard, Volunteer Coordinator, in the company of the club's army of volunteers.
Thank you to everyone who attended the ceremony, played in the social tennis session and Dave at Spitting Pig for the delicious food served throughout the afternoon. A final massive thank you to our many volunteers who continue to be the club's lifeblood and help wherever needed.
Jean: Once we knew our tennis club had been nominated to receive The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service from the Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, Mr Toby Dennis, there was excitement in the air! This is a prestigious award for which we should all be proud and hard-earned by our many, many untiring volunteers and helpers. This day is all about them! Sun, blue skies, members and friends, informal conversations, a speech from the Lord-Lieutenant and Sue and I receiving the magnificent trophy. FAB-U-LOUS! Truly a day to remember.
Sue: Volunteering at Grantham Tennis Club & Gym over the last five years has been a very rewarding experience for me and led to me taking the LTA Level 1 and Level 2 coaching courses. I took on the role of Volunteer Coordinator for the club shortly before the start of the pandemic, so activities have been more restricted than usual. Still, I cannot praise enough the amazing members who come forward to help out with events that we hold, who assist with maintenance requirements, or support the coaching team with junior groups or our Feel Good and learning disability sessions. The philosophy of going the extra mile when needed starts with the club's management, and the Queen's Award recognises that commitment, so I was really proud to be a part of the celebration.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2 June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.
Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse. They include volunteer groups from across the UK; a children’s bereavement charity in London; a support group those living with dementia and their carers in North Yorkshire; a volunteer minibus service in Cumbria; a group supporting young people in Belfast; a community radio station in Inverness and a mountain rescue team in Powys.
GTC is one of 241 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.