THE CROQUET ENGLAND MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDED FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE WORK OF CROQUET ENGLAND AND/OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CROQUET WITHIN ITS DOMAIN.
BEATRICE MCGLEN Beatrice McGlen began her croquet playing career in the 1980s, at the Coal Technical and Scientific Research Establishment at Bretby in the East Midlands
for 2015. He created the International Performance Director role to establish a sustainable pathway for talented players to reach international standard, two members of his first AC Development Squad went on to be members of the successful 2022 England MacRobertson Shield team. In addition to creating the course material for the AC Development Squad, Ian also prepared lesson plans for AC coaching pods around the country. In 2023 he published a book "Golf Croquet for Tournament Players". As a member of the Croquet Association Council in the mid‐ 1990s, he was Chairman of the Selection Committee and an active member of the Tournament Committee, notably conceptualising and managing the CA Centenary Tournament in 1997, the largest post‐war croquet event. In 2009 he created the Burridge Swiss concept which has been used ever since for the qualification stage of the AC Open Championship. He returned to Council in 2020 to serve as Treasurer of both the Croquet Association and Croquet England, working with solicitors as the transition to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation was explored and then realised. He was a member of the Covid Taskforce and identified the need for the Membership Secretariat, which he chaired. SAMIR PATEL Samir Patel learned croquet at Oxford
Federation. She joined the Nottingham Croquet Club in 1990 and became its Chairman in 2017. Under her leadership, the club completed an ambitious
project to re‐lay three former bowls greens as croquet lawns and renovate its pavilions, financed at least in part by the money she raised through numerous grant applications and crowdfunding. She also did much to promote community engagement, such as her "Hoops for Health" programme, resulting in the club being presented with the Sport and Recreation Alliance's national club award for inclusivity and diversity. Women's croquet has been another of her passions, representing England abroad in several events in recent years and encouraging her peers to do so. She volunteered for election to the Council of the Croquet Association in 2016, serving on several committees before becoming Chairman of its Executive Board in 2020. She then oversaw its transformation into the Executive of Croquet England, acquiring the title of Chief Executive Officer. She continues in that role by driving forward change and modernisation within the organisation both professionally and confidently. IAN BURRIDGE Ian Burridge took up the sport in 1988, rapidly rising
University and brought home the MacRobertson Shield in 2022, captaining the England team for the third time. He is the current holder of the President's Cup. In addition to an illustrious playing career,
to become a world‐class player in Association and later Golf Croquet. Born in Aberdare, he has represented Wales in team and individual events since 1990, and Great Britain in the 1996 MacRobertson Shield and six Solomon
he has contributed greatly to the administration of the sport. For many years he has maintained the Tournament Regulations with the Tournament Committees, supported and developed the website, and has been a member of the IT and International Committees. He represented the South‐East Federation on the Croquet Association's Council and became its Chairman in 2021, driving its transition into the Board of Trustees of Croquet England with meetings characterised by good preparation and wise counsel. On a yet broader canvas, he has served as a member of the World Croquet Federation's Management Committee and this year is his 10th serving on it.
Trophies, captaining the team in 2009. His international focus culminated in him becoming President of the World Croquet Federation from 2019 to 2023, having previously served as its Treasurer from 2010 to 2013. An expert tactician, he has long been willing to share his insight through coaching and was named Coach of the Year
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