THE LEIGH & WESTCLIFF ELECTED COMMITTEE

VIC TRIGWELL ... PRESIDENT ...
Vic & his wife Jenny moved to Southend in 1974, he joined Southbourne and then St.Aidans T.C. Partnering John Tanner they won the mens doubles in 1980 and 81, as well as the Winter Mens Doubles in 1986. Memories of his finals days have always been a bit of a blur with the work load of helping to set up the event, umpiring and then rushing on to play. Vic joined the committee in 1979 as Treasurer, moved on to League Secretary and then Hon. Secretary in 1986. These seven active years saw the introduction of Junior Leagues and Tournaments, Winter Leagues and Tournaments. Vic felt honoured to follow Jim Gilbert as President and shares his belief in social and competative tennis for all.
Moving away from Southend in 1987 Vic took up officiating and now leads line teams on Wimbledon's centre Court. He umpires at professional and local events and is also a tennis referee of high regard. Vic gets back to Southend as often as he can to attend meetings and is always at the end of the phone with guidance when needed.

PETER JACKSON ... CHAIRMAN ...
I joined Westcliff Hard T.C. in 1983 after returning from Canada. My tennis with the Leigh & Westclliff started in the summer of 1984. Enjoying ten years of winter and summer tennis I captained the Hards second mixed team and took it from the sixth to the second division. I am still a member of Westcliff Hard but only play occasionally for one of their mixed teams. After a lay off of nine years I joined Invicta in 2003 to play for their men's 3rd team in both the summer and winter leagues, I am thoroughly enjoying my tennis again. Elected to the Leigh & Westcliff Committee as a member in 1987 before taking over as Treasurer from Ken Bowser in 1994. I held this position for nine years until I was asked to stand for the post as Chairman. I took the Chair from the retiring Roger Chambers in 2003. My duties have also been to run the Summer Jubilee Cups, along with the Winter Cups.
I have also been running the Leigh & Westcliff Annual Quiz for the past three years.

STEWART CLARK ... SECRETARY
Stewart has been playing his tennis at Wickford T.C. since 1982 and now a prominent member on their organisation team. He is very proud to have won his first club trophy in 1993 and still remembers the score. He is a firm supporter of the leagues and started playing L.&.W. league tennis in 1986. The knockout tournaments are very close to his heart and he is yet to take a tournament honour. Stewart tries very hard every year to break the ice and scope up a trophy at the Presentation Dinner & Dance.
In 2003 he was asked to join the committee and took over the position of Secretary.

TREVOR PATERSON ... TREASURER ...
I started playing tennis as a junior at Hockley Tennis Club in 1969. I remember playing my first Leigh & Westcliff league match way back in 1971. Having got the taste for competative tennis I have been a regular L.&.W. player ever since, thoroughly enjoying every season. I have been involved with the L.&.W. committee since 1971, running the teams for Hockley, during which time, I am pleased to say, we did win a number of trophies. Since 2003 I have been captain of Hockley T.C. and delegated the running of the clubs teams.
I have been on the L.&.W. committee since 1985 and was involved in running the Winter tournaments from the start, in that same year. Being elected treasurer in 2003 I look after the association's money as if it was my own.

DAVID LINCOLN ... LEAGUE SECRETARY ...
My tennis days started in 1977 when Doreen McLellan, (a loyal servant to the L&W), twisted my arm to make up a four at the one court club named Kent Elms. With a very low membership I was quickly put into the one L.&.W. team they had that year. As time went on, and after many promotion jumps up the leagues, I took over the mens first team as captain and we won the first division in the summers of 1991, 1993 and 1996. Only one title win in the 1st Division for the winter leagues in 95/96. I was also one of the two men in the mens pair of the 1st Division winning years of 'The League' in the 80s & early 90s. My tournament success leaves a lot to be desired, having been in eight L.&.W. mens doubles finals and only winning two. Mens winter in 1991 and Veterans Mens in the summer of 1997. I worked very hard as Chairman of the club for 14 years and wrote a 128 page book on the History of the Club. Also will be found at Kent Elms, an illustrated photo album of the big move in sites, this I also presented to the club. I finally left after giving 27 loyal (unappreciated) years to Elms to join Southend Lawn in 2003. In 2007 I was press ganged into taking the huge task of Club Secrertary. I have also held the position of the L.&.W. League Secretary since 1994 and have doubled both the winter and summer leagues in that time. From little acorns the mighty Oak grows and grows.

JOHN TANNER ... TOURNAMENT SECRETARY/TROPHY SECRETARY ...
Our longest serving committee member. John was press ganged onto the committee in 1976, yes he had been running the tournaments for all of those years, finally standing down in October 2006. His tennis days started at a long distinct club by the name of Kingswood T.C. their courts being in Bonchurch Park. Alongside this club was the then powerful club called Leigh Wesley, again no longer with us. In 1966 he approached the L.&.W. committee and asked if his club could join their ranks. The application was successful and the club renamed St. Aidens. The home matches were played on the sloping Bonchurch Park courts until they were priced out by exorbitant Corporation charges in the late 80s. Running the tournaments always left him very busy on finals day but he was pleased to win the Mens Doubles two years running in 1980 & 1981; his partner being our now President Vic Trigwell. They also won the very first Winter Mens Doubles in 1986. On the closure of St. Aidens members were invited to join Invicta TC where John's wife, Gill, and John run the league teams. While he is on the Committee John will always argue that this competition is for only L.&.W. registered players and will be supportive of the smaller clubs, as per our constitution. In 2006 John takes up the postion of Trophy Secretary. JOHN STEPS BACK IN FOR SUMMER 2008

ALAN YOUNG ... JUNIOR SECRETARY ...
Joined Hockley Tennis Club in 1959 where I am a life member and Vice President. I am also one of the Vice Presidents of the L.&.W. Association, as well as being a qualified licensed LTA coach since 1962. A committee member of The Professional Tennis Coaches Association since 2001, also being a County Referee. In 1960 I was one of several to meet for an emergency meeting at the Bull Inn, Hockley to discuss ways of saving the Association from fading away. We formed a new committee and since then the L.&.W. has not looked back. I won the mens singles in 1970 and lost on two other occasions. Mens doubles winner three times on the trot 1970,71 and 72. I was also proud to win the Mens Vets. Doubles in 1995. I have served on the committee since 1992, as Junior Secretary since 2001. I also serve as referee for the local Junior Thunderball tournament.

DEBBIE ROSE ... COMMITTEE MEMBER

My husband and I moved to Rayleigh in 1986 and although being an active person I only took up tennis in 2000. This was after watching my children take lessons on a Saturday morning at Rayleigh Tennis Club. Trying it myself I was immediately hooked and played as often as I could find the time. Since then I have been part of teams representing both Rayleigh & Wickford in several leagues. 2006 and I am enjoying the post of Ladies Captain at Rayleigh T.C. I captain Ladies & Mixed teams in the L.&.W. leagues. and represent the club in Essex Vets. I enjoy entering the tournaments and have won the Leigh & Westcliff Summer Ladies singles final of 2003. Although I must admit, only four ladies entered. All the top seeds must have been on their world tours and could not make the L.&.W. finals day. I am presently on the Rayleigh L.T.C. committee in my capacity as Ladies Captain and was elected to join the L.&.W. committee, taking over from club mate Chris Peters, at the AGM 2006.

MARGARET GABE ... COMMITTEE MEMBER ...
Margaret being one of two ladies on the commitee does help to keep all of the men under control. She was elected on to the committee in 1999 and has been useful in being the Trophy Secretary for four or five years in that time. 2006 and she is now passing this task to Andrew. Margaret feels that we should all have a turn at something important within the Association. It is not really because of all the cleaning of the dozens and dozens of trophies that I am relinquishing the position, she was heard to say at one of our meetings.
My tennis days started about 1987 and I have enjoyed playing in the L.&.W. leagues for Hadleigh Park Tennis Club since that year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GEOFFREY SPILLETT ... COMMITTEE MEMBER