Our Annual Awards night takes place in January each year and is an opportunity for volunteers, players and coaches to be recognised for their achievements and successes during the previous year. The night has become a very special occasion in our calendar, coming together to celebrate the achievements of the best of our players, volunteers and officials. Our 2025 Awards Night was held at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield on Saturday, 1st February and when we celebrated the successes of our players, clubs and venues across the full spectrum of ages and performance.
Our 2026 Annual Awards Night will again be at Hardwick Hall Hotel on Saturday 31st January.
Nominations for 2026 LTA and County Awards have now closed. Nominations for the 2027 Awards will open in June 2026.
Any member of any of our registered venues is welcome to make a nomination.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Special Presidents Award (Presented by John Schofield) | Foster Garton (Tennis World) |
| Lifetime achievement | Janice Palmer (Eldon Grove) |
| Volunteer | Ashley Sword (New Silksworth) |
| Young Person | Lucy Potts (Durham University/County) |
| Young Person – Highly commended | George Bowen (Boldon/Tennis World) Toby Flight (Yarm) Sophie Espley (Eldon Grove) |
| Coach | Stephen Harding-Gilbert (Eden Lane Park) |
| Coach – Highly Commended | Matt Jackman (Tennis World) |
| Coach Performance | David Esther (Shotley & Benefieldside) |
| Coach Performance – Highly Commended | Callum Todd (David Lloyds Sunderland) |
| Club | Tennis World & Middlesbrough Padel Club |
| Club – Highly commended | Boldon |
| Tennis Opened Up | Haskel School (linked to Blaydon Tennis Club) |
| University | Durham University |
| Official | Rob Wilkinson (ABTO) |
| School | Epinay Business School (linked to Boldon Tennis Club) |
| Park | Eden Lane Park |
| Park – Special Recognition | Sunderland Parks |
| Competition | Blaydon Family Tournament |
| Competition – Special Recognition | Sunderland 12U Tennis Europe Finals Foster Garton Invitational Event Tennis World 8U Mini Tennis Fun Event |
| Harry & David Thomas Meritorious Award – Services to Tennis | Pauline Connolly (Barnard Castle) |
| Playsport U14 Girl | Amelia-Rose Symm |
| Playsport U14 Boy | Will Morgan |
| Oliver Wrightson U18 Boy | Ryan Szeto |
| Oliver Wrightson U18 Girl | Amalie Limbrick |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Lifetime achievement | Anne Brown (Cleveland League & Yarm) |
| Volunteer | Maggie Smith (Saltburn) |
| Volunteer Highly commended | Yvonne Pensom (Shotley & Benfieldside) Barbara Parking (Durham Moore) Louise Flight (Yarm) |
| Young Person | Jacob Spence (Yarm) |
| Young Person – Highly commended | Jack Hill (Saltburn) Sophia |
| Coach | Louis Harll (David Lloyd Teesside) |
| Coach Performance | David Esther (Shotley & Benefieldside) |
| Club | Yarm |
| Club – Highly commended | Saltburn |
| Tennis Opened Up | Sunderland Tennis Centre |
| University | Durham University |
| Official | Graham Fowler |
| School | Polam Hall |
| Park | Usworth Park |
| Competition | 12U Boys & Girls Tennis Europe Winter Cup Finals (Sunderland Tennis Centre) |
| Harry & David Thomas Meritorious Award – Services to Tennis | Christine Heppell (Durham Archery) Dennis Laycock (Lanchester) Keith Philpott (Yarm) |
| Playsport U14 Girl | Gabi Morgan |
| Playsport U14 Boy | Will Morgan |
| Oliver Wrightson U18 Boy | Max Westall |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Lifetime achievement | Patricia Smedley (Saltburn) |
| Volunteer | Ian Pearson-Brown (Blaydon) |
| Volunteer Highly commended | Lucy Brenkley (Barnard Castle) Marion Bernard (Saltburn) |
| Rising Star | John Wright (Boldon) |
| Rising Star Highly commended | Jack Addison (Yarm) Issy Smith (Boldon) |
| Coach Development | Olly Bennett (Blaydon) |
| Coach Development Highly commended | Phil Dolphin (Saltburn) |
| Coach Performance | Jo Cunliffe (County) |
| Club | Sunderland Tennis Centre |
| Tennis for All | Sunderland Tennis Centre |
| University | Durham University |
| Official | Sarah Lowes |
| Harry & David Thomas Meritorious Award – Services to Tennis | Judith Petite (Saltburn) Alan Walker (Boldon) |
| Playsport U14 Girl | Rachael Szeto |
| Playsport U14 Boy | Ryan Szeto |
| Oliver Wrightson U18 Girl | Francesca Simpson |
| Oliver Wrightson U18 Boy | Ben Wrann |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Lifetime achievement | Pamela Dodds (Hutton Rudby) |
| Volunteer | Jamie Blake (Cleveland League) |
| Volunteer Highly commended | Chris Clark (New Silksworth) |
| Rising Star | Lily Errington (Eldon Grove) |
| Rising Star Highly commended | Callum Tranter (Yarm) |
| Coach Development | Hannah Stockton (Tennis World) |
| Coach Performance | David Esther (Shotley & Benfieldside) |
| Club | Shotley & Benfieldside |
| Tennis for All | Ian Pearson (Blaydon) |
| Competition | Durham & Northumberland LTA Youth Festivals |
| Official | Matt Jackman |
| Harry & David Thomas Meritorious Award – Services to Tennis | Chris Shutt (Great Broughton) Martin Williams (Yarm) Sam Stokoe (Chilton & Sedgefield) |
| Playsport U14 Girl | Laura Cheal |
| Playsport U14 Boy | Will Morgan |
| Oliver Wrightson U18 Girl | Francesca Simpson |
| Oliver Wrightson U18 Boy |
Joel Gibson |
In addition to the County Awards, the top 5 winners nominated from all counties become National Finalists, and the next 5 earn Excellence Awards. We are proud to celebrate several nominations into the National Awards:
| 2025 National Finalists | |
|---|---|
| Young Person | Jacob Spence |
| School | Polam Hall |
| University | Durham University |
| 2025 Excellence Awards | |
| Performance Coach | David Esther |
| Club | Yarm Tennis Club |
Prior to 2025, all our County Winners were put forward into the LTA British Tennis Awards scheme and automatically progressed to the Regional LTA Awards and potentially then the National Awards. In 2023 we were delighted that three of our County winners also triumphed at the LTA North Regional Awards. Since the LTA brought in the National Awards in 2015, Durham & Cleveland has a proud record of success and past winners include:
| 2023 Regional Winner | |
|---|---|
| Volunteer | Jamie Blake (Cleveland League) |
| Competition | Durham & Northumberland LTA Youth Festivals |
| Lifetime achievement | Pamela Dodds (Hutton Rudby) |
| 2022 National Runner-Up | |
| Development Coach | Vicky Evans |
| 2022 Regional Winner | |
| Club | Yarm |
| Development coach | Vicky Evans |
| Lifetime Achievement | Dennis Laycock |
| 2018 National Winner | |
| Community Award | A690 Charity |
| 2018 Regional Winner | |
| Lifetime Achievement | John Taylor (Hutton Rudby) |
| Education | Dame Dorothy Primary, Sunderland |
| 2017 Regional Winner | |
| Education | Acklam Whin Primary School |
| 2016 National Winner | |
| Volunteer | Wendy Glasper |
| 2016 Regional Winner | |
| Young Volunteer | John Heppell |
In 2017 Wendy was named the UK’s 759th Point of Light, receiving a personal commendation from Prime Minister Theresa May:
“Your work with the North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club is helping to make tennis more accessible for the visually impaired across the region. You should be proud of the training sessions you have delivered and the direct impact you are having on the physical and emotional wellbeing of players.”
Check out the gallery of our past Award Nights and winners.