Penarthian Stephen Clarke will receive a British Empire Medal for services to tennis in Wales.

Stephen has been involved in British tennis for over thirty years, performing various voluntary roles. Most notably, he was Chairman of Tennis Wales for six years and went on to represent Wales on the LTA, the governing body of tennis in Britain.

"It's hard to put into words how I feel," he tells Nub News. "I was originally told about it in May but then due to virus implications I've had to keep it quiet until now. I've had a long time to get used to it but I'm very proud to be the first person recognised in the honours list from Tennis Wales."

Tennis Wales nominated Stephen for the award, writing the following in their recommendation:

"We feel he deserves recognition for his dedication and achievements over the last decade. Steve has contributed to the significant improvement of the governance of the sport within Tennis Wales."

Stephen says his voluntary verve can be traced to a lifelong passion for sport.

"I love sport. I've been involved in sport all my life - starting off playing rugby and tennis in school and at university.

"After that, because everyone likes to have a solicitor on a committee, I was asked to join Cardiff Tennis Club's committee. All volunteers will tell you that whenever there's a job going you end up doing them, so it has just snowballed really."

Stephen devotes his award to others working behind the scenes in tennis administration.

"I appreciate it's a personal recognition but I feel very strongly that the volunteers I work alongside work seriously hard and that my recognition is in effect a recognition of them. People before me like Jim Lightbody and Cynthia Beams were heavily involved in Welsh tennis in those days and supported the changes I wanted to introduce.

"People like them, and in more recent times people like Mike Clarke and Dave Clarke, facilitate the way tennis runs. The pleasure I get is to see the way the sport has grown and developed over the last 10 to 15 years particularly."

Stephen is a well-known figure in Penarth, working extensively in local tennis and rugby in both coaching and administrative capacities.

He is currently the Chairman of Old Penarthians RFC. The club's Jeff Noman had this to say:

"Steve is an Old Penarthian through and through with his two sons and grandchildren no strangers to the Club either.

"Everyone at the Club is very proud of him and his very well-deserved award."