Clive Rippon MBE
Congratulations to Clive Rippon, our Honorary Secretary who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List announced on 14th June 2014 for services to Essex Tennis. This is an extremely well deserved award for over 40 years of dedication to both County and National Tennis. Below is a brief resume of some of the reasons why Clive was nominated for and awarded his MBE.
Clive is pictured above receiving an LTA Meritorious Award at the Essex Tennis AGM in January.
Clive has worked tirelessly for Essex County LTA (ECLTA) in a voluntary unpaid capacity as Honorary Secretary since 1974 and is recognised throughout the County not only as the ‘Lead Volunteer’ but the primary focus of everything that is going on within tennis in Essex. Clive’s energy, enthusiasm and passion for tennis is just extraordinary to see – he eats, sleeps and breathes tennis – watching it, playing it, organising and strategically directing it.
Clive played a pivotal role in several major projects which might not have come to fruition without his involvement such as:
- Indoor courts and ECLTA office at Redbridge Sports Centre,
- Indoor courts at Deanes School Sports Academy,
- Indoor courts at Essex Tennis & Leisure in Earls Colne
- Indoor courts at Harlow Tennis Club.
Clive has been primarily responsible for the sponsorship funding that has raised well in excess of £1.5 million over the years. This has enabled ECLTA to provide grants to clubs totalling up to £40,000 per year and loans for major projects to assist clubs in improving their facilities. Under Clive’s direction, this has also allowed ECLTA to be a self-sufficient well run organisation with a dedicated office and paid staff.
Nominating Clive for his UK honour has not been a quick process. It began with a small group of ECLTA officers submitting the original nomination in November 2008 with 3 letters of support. After feedback from the honours department at the Department for Culture Media and Sport, a revised nomination was submitted in March 2009. With no sign of an honour the group met again and submitted more information in April 2011 along with a further 7 letters of support. In April 2013 a further 4 letters of support were submitted resulting in the award being granted in June 2014.