The founder of Ashbourne Junior Tennis Club has narrowly missed out on landing the East Midlands Unsung Hero Award.
Jenni Bull was nominated for the award for the way she has successfully run the club – despite it having no facilities.
The club, which coaches more than 100 children, instead has to rely on using council-owned courts, which Ms Bull herself maintains.
Incredibly, Ms Bull led Ashbourne to this year's Derbyshire Tennis club of the Year Award.
However she was pipped to the region's Unsung Hero gong by Leicestershire couple Sue and Jim Houghton, who transformed a derelict sports ground into a popular community facility.
It meant Ms Bull – who had to give up competitive tennis because of osteoarthritis – missed out on being considered for the national award, which was presented last night at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony in London in front of a television audience of millions.
Article courtesy of The Derby Telegraph