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Croquet England Officers, Executive and Committees

See The Structure of Croquet England for more information about the organisation of Croquet England.

The Subscribers' Area gives access to full contact details of committee members, together with meeting minutes and reports. If you cannot find the contact details you require please contact the office.

The meetings schedule shows planned meetings of the Board of Trustees and the Executive and of committee meetings, but some committees meet only when it becomes necessary.

The committee structure and responsibilities are defined in the Standing Orders and Practice Book. The table below gives a brief summary of the key responsibilities of each committee or role. Full details can be found in the Practice Book. All committees report to the Executive. The Executive is responsible to the Board of Trustees.

A guide for the chairs of committees has been drafted.

Federation officers are listed on pages linked from the Federations page, together with the Federation Coaching Officer and Development Officer, who are members of the relevant committee.

The Board of Trustees comprises 11 voting members. Following the initial period, six of the charity trustees will be elected from regional constituencies and 5 will be appointed to supplement the experience and expertise already possessed by the elected trustees and to meet the requirements and recommendations of Sport England. The Secretary, the Treasurer, the Chief Executive Officer and the President attend the meetings of the Board but do not have a vote.

Croquet England Officers

President Patricia Duke-Cox
Vice-President Ian Vincent, Roger Bray, Andrew Hope, Stephen Mulliner, Colin Irwin, Jonathan Isaacs, Jeff Dawson, Eileen Magee
Secretary Gabrielle Higgins
Treasurer Robert Fulford
Chairman of the Board of Trustees Samir Patel
Chief Executive Officer Beatrice McGlen

Croquet England Committees

  Responsibilities Members (with chair's eMail)  
Board of Trustees
[full details]

The Board has overall responsibility for the affairs of the Organisation, with a focus on high-level policy, strategic initiatives, scrutiny and transparency.

Samir Patel 020 8892 2172 (Chair), Robert Fulford (Treasurer), Gabrielle Higgins (Secretary), Beatrice McGlen (CEO), Peter Michael Allan, George Collin, Carol Driver, Tim King, Andrew Stewart, Robin Tasker, Brian Wilson
Executive
[full details]

Delegated authority from the Trustees for the day-to-day management of Croquet England, including its finances and the implementation of its policies and procedures. Responsibilities include:

  • Recommending to the Trustees an annual budget and overall long-term financial and budgetary policy, and monitoring financial performance.
  • Membership matters, including entitlements and subscriptions.
  • Recommending to the Trustees any changes to policies or function.
  • Communicating with other committees and co-ordinating their work.
  • Appointing Chairs and members of Standing Committees and other posts such as Development Squad Managers.
  • Approving amendments to the Tournament Regulations.
  • Managing matters not covered by the terms of reference of other committees.
Beatrice McGlen 01777 248187 (Chief Executive), Paul Brown (Secretary), Robert Fulford (Treasurer), Andy Dibben, Ian Draper, Paul Hetherington, David Openshaw, Samir Patel, Mark Suter [Operations Manager], Rich Waterman
Awards Panel
[full details]
  • Recommending to the Trustees candidates for Major Council Awards.
  • Advising the Executive on Diploma nominations.
Patricia Duke-Cox, Dave Kibble, Ian Vincent
Coaching Committee
[full details]
  • Strategic planning and implementation of national and regional coaching for GC, AC and short croquet.
  • Working with the Development Squad Managers to identify talent and potential for further development.
  • Croquet England standard coaching material from grass roots to higher levels.
  • Coaching standards, training, examining and appointing coaches, and awards for coaches.
  • Communicating good coaching practice.
  • Merit Award Scheme for AC and the Steel Award.
Ruth Raunkiaer 07779 233236 (Chair), Philip Bate, Derek Blow, Jason Carley, Richard Carline, Paul Francis, Anna Giraud, John Harris, Ian Shore, Lionel Tibble
Complaints Administrator
[full details]
Administering the Croquet England Complaints and Volunteer Grievance Procedures. Michael Blair
Development Squad Managers
[full details]
  • Managing the development of talented players capable of representing England in international competitions.
  • Creating and managing a pathway for talented players.
  • Delivering a structured programme including written material, live coaching and online media.
  • Working with the Coaching Committee and others to ensure that a flow of talented players is achieved every year and the best are identified for further development.
Philip Eardley (AC), Lionel Tibble (GC)
Equipment Advisory Group
[full details]
  • Setting standards for playing equipment, including mallets, balls, hoops and other court equipment.
  • Development of testing methods, including ball and hoop gauges, and other ball-testing methods and testing equipment.
  • Development of testing methods for speed of grass courts, and speed and other criteria for approving courts made from artificial surfaces.
  • Research and development of playing equipment, including mallets, balls, hoops, and court surfaces.
David Trimmer 01747 824822 (Chair), Andrew Dutton, Alan Pidcock, Ian Plummer
Funding Committee
[full details]
  • Administering grants and loans to member clubs, bursaries to individuals and other disbursements.
  • Proposing a strategy for disbursement, determining terms and conditions, and publicising criteria.
  • Supporting Federation Development Officers for their support to clubs in applications for funding.
Sarah Andrew 07962 234857 (Chair), Paul Francis, Robert Fulford, George Noble, John Reddish
Handicap Committee
[full details]
  • The handicapping system including procedure and recording.
  • Training and appointment of Club, Federation and National handicappers and monitoring their activity.
  • Where necessary, approval of handicaps and changes to handicaps.
  • The relationship between handicaps and the Grading System.
  • The selection of Most Improved Players.
Christopher Roberts 07973 787710 (Chair), Sara Anderson, Richard Bilton, Frances Colman, David Cornes, Klim Seabright, Chris Williams
Information Technology (IT) Committee
[full details]
  • IT strategy including business continuity and disaster recovery.
  • Technical arrangements for the processing, storage and publication of data.
  • Design authority for new IT and communications including hardware, software, systems and services.
  • Sourcing of IT services.
  • Software technology of the websites.
  • Support and training.
Andy Dibben 020 8391 1929 (Chair), David Fuller, Alison Maugham, Samir Patel, Mark Suter [Operations Manager], Ian Vincent
International Committee
[full details]
  • International matters (other than team selection) including arrangements for international championships organised by Croquet England and Croquet England representation at international events.
  • Representing Croquet England in the World Croquet Federation (WCF) Council.
  • Proposing Croquet England representatives to serve as officials and on committees of the WCF and other associations.
  • Proposals for obtaining funds for international events from third parties.
  • Liaising with the Tournaments Committees over venues and dates for international events.
  • Custody and maintenance of international trophies when England or Great Britain are the holders.
Dominic Nunns 01444 250137 (Chair), Chris Clarke, James Hopgood, Ian Lines, Ian Vincent
International Squad Managers
[full details]
  • Responsibility for England's performance at international singles and team events.
  • Formulating and implementing a strategy to improve international performance.
  • Working with all parts of Croquet England necessary to ensure the support of improved international performance.
 
Laws Committee (Association Croquet)
[full details]
  • Addressing questions of interpretation and proposed amendment of the Laws, and the Regulations for Refereeing, of AC (in collaboration with the WCF AC Laws Committee).
  • Training, appointment and examination of Referees and Examining Referees for AC.
Jeff Dawson 01202 116824 (Chair), Peter Death, Barry Keen, Ian Lines, Stephen Mulliner, Ian Vincent
Marketing and Communications Committee
[full details]
  • Marketing, merchandising, commercial and sales targets.
  • Increasing income including sponsorship and advertising revenue.
  • Publicising Croquet England and its activities and public relations generally.
  • Croquet England's branding and public image, and legal issues such as copyright, defamation and data protection.
  • Objectives, editorial policy, design and promotion of all publishing media, including The Croquet Gazette, newsletters, the website, social media, leaflets and posters.
  • Advice to other committees and working parties about the function and purpose of communications.
  • Providing marketing and publicity support to the Sport Development Committee for recruitment.
  • Responsibility, with the Operations Manager, for commercial events.
Paul Hetherington (Temporary chair), Duncan Catterall, Alison Maugham, Mark Suter [Operations Manager], Stephen Wright
Membership Secretariat
[full details]
Supporting the Office in handling issues relating to the membership of the Organisation, including responsibility for the Membership Rules and recommending subscription rates. Andy Dibben, Robert Fulford, Mark Suter [Operations Manager]
National Safeguarding Officer
[full details]

Leads on the effective implementation of the Child Safeguarding and Adult Safeguarding policies and their associated procedures and guidance.

  • Acts as Croquet England's contact person on matters relating to child and adult safeguarding.
  • Responding appropriately to incidents or concerns which relate to child or adult safeguarding.
  • Where required, liaising with statutory agencies and ensuring they have access to all necessary information.
  • Ensuring a register of all subscribers holding DBS Enhanced Certificates is maintained, along with details of those who are registered with the DBS Update Service.
  • Advising on training opportunities for club welfare/safeguarding officers, coaches and other volunteers.
  • Refer to the Welfare section of the Croquet England website for further details.
Ron Carter [Safeguarding Officer] 01242 384643
Rules Committee (Golf Croquet)
[full details]
  • Addressing questions of interpretation and proposed amendmentof the Rules, and the Regulations for Refereeing, of GC (in collaboration with the WCF GC Rules Committee).
  • Training, appointment and examination of Referees and Examining Referees for GC.
Ian Cobbold 020 8642 0533 (Chair), Kevin Ham, Stephen Mulliner, Paul Pristavec, Ian Shore, Roy Tillcock, Ian Vincent
Selection Committee (AC World Team Championship)
[full details]
Selecting the team to represent England in the 2026 MacRobertson Shield, the World Association Croquet Team Championship. Chris Clarke +64 210 242 0212 (Chair), Keith Aiton, Ian Burridge, Robert Fulford, Ian Lines
Selection Committee (Association Croquet)
[full details]
  • Selecting players for AC invitation and representative events, other than the World Team Championship.
  • Selecting players for high level AC coaching programmes and squads.
Ian Lines 01780 740359 (Chair), Chris Clarke, Harry Fisher, Gabrielle Higgins, Michael Town, Robert Wilkinson
Selection Committee (GC World Team Championship)
[full details]
Selecting the team to represent England in the WCF World Golf Croquet Team Championship (the Openshaw Shield). Chris Clarke +64 210 242 0212 (Chair), Keith Aiton, David Openshaw, Christopher Roberts, Lionel Tibble
Selection Committee (Golf Croquet)
[full details]
  • Selecting players for GC invitation and representative events, other than the World Team Championship.
  • Selecting players for high level GC coaching programmes and squads.
Chris Clarke +64 210 242 0212 (Chair), Rachel Gee, Christopher Roberts, Tobi Savage, Aston Wade
Sport Development Committee
[full details]

Responsible for Ddvelopment of croquet in all its forms, expanding the number of people playing in improved facilities at more locations, whilst encouraging a more diverse and inclusive membership including:

  • Publicising and marketing new development initiatives, and encouraging different demographics to play.
  • Development of playing facilities, including relations groups involved with regional development, educational bodies and Local Authorities.
  • Proposals for obtaining development funds from third parties.
  • Supporting Federation Development Officers through the Federation Forum.
  • Organising Federation and Club webinars.
  • Identifying, promoting and celebrating best practice in clubs, including Club Awards.
Stephen Wright 07810 818559 (Chair), Paul Chard, Paul Francis, Deborah James, Debbie Lines, Mike Prince
Tournaments Committee (Association Croquet)
[full details]

Responsible for Croquet England AC and SC tournaments and competitions, and any questions relating to other AC and SC tournaments. This includes:

  • Promoting a tournament structure to encourage and enable all those wishing to play competitive AC and SC.
  • Organising and promoting Croquet England AC and SC tournaments and international AC tournaments held in England, including liaison with hosting clubs, rates for court and equipment hire, appointment of officials and entry fees.
  • Maintaining and updating the provisional forward tournament schedule in liaison with the GCTC.
  • Proposing amendments to the Tournament Regulations in liaison with other relevant committees.
  • Training tournament managers.
  • AC and SC Trophies including engraving, maintenance of records, and allocation of trophies to specific tournaments.
  • Sponsorship opportunities.
  • Review of tournament incidents and recommending misconduct complaints where appropriate.
Joel Taylor 07831 374876 (Chair), Liz Farrow, Samir Patel, Jonathan Powe, Hilary Smith, Michael Town
Tournaments Committee (Golf Croquet)
[full details]

Responsible for Croquet England GC tournaments and competitions, and any questions relating to other GC tournaments. This includes:

  • Promoting a tournament structure to encourage and enable all those wishing to play competitive GC.
  • Organising and promoting Croquet England GC tournaments and international GC tournaments held in England, including liaison with hosting clubs, appointment of officials and entry fees.
  • Training tournament managers.
  • GC Trophies including engraving, maintenance of records, and allocation of trophies to specific tournaments.
  • Sponsorship opportunities.
  • GC Merit Award Scheme (excluding the Steel Award).
  • Review of tournament incidents and recommending misconduct complaints where appropriate.
Richard Bilton 07570 599136 (Chair), Andrea Huxley, Steve Leonard, Jonathan Powe, Christopher Roberts, Louise Smith