ARC Trustee David Vinall presented with Active Devon Award

Earlier this month, ARC Trustee David Vinall was presented with the Active Devon Volunteer Award 2023 for his Outstanding Contribution to Inclusion. A group of friends, family, ARC staff and volunteers gathered at ARC for the award presentation by Hannah Shackleton on behalf of Active Devon.

David, who also serves as Chair of Devon Tennis and Chair of the South & Southwest Volunteer Forum, was recognised for his dedication to tennis and racquet sports in Devon over the past thirty years. David has been a driving force in the transformation of the Westward Ho! Tennis Club into ARC - the welcoming and inclusive community racquet and fitness centre we all know today.

Through David’s tireless hard work and commitment, ARC has ensured that it remains a centre that is affordable for all. The introduction of initiatives such as the Nexus and Whirlwind Tournaments at ARC have also created a welcoming pathway for younger players with no previous experience to enter competitive tennis.

David made sure to acknowledge that this was an award for all those who work and volunteer at ARC, commenting, “ARC wouldn’t exist without the volunteers. From day one when this project started, volunteers helped to raise all the funds, they did all the preliminary work and the project work to build this.”

ARC Trustee Mark Clayton said of David, “He lives and breathes tennis, volunteering, and helping everybody in the community… and that shines through in everything he does.”

The ARC team congratulates all of the nominees and winners of the Active Devon Volunteer Awards. For a full list of winners for 2023, visit the Active Devon website here.