Portishead Table tennis Club chairman, Steve Pratt, has received a top award from Table Tennis England. Steve received the Ivor Montagu Award at this year’s TTE Annual General Meeting on July 20. 

The award is presented to a person who has made a significant personal contribution to the administration of Table Tennis England at a national level. 

In addition to being Portishead chairman, Steve was appointed to the Table Tennis England Members’ Advisory Group (MAG), when the body was first set up in 2019. MAG offers strategic advice to the board and provides a communication channel for the wider table tennis community. Launching MAG was a key recommendation from an independent review panel set up to look at Table Tennis England’s governance. MAG members – appointed following an exhaustive round of national interviews – represent all areas of the sport including coaching, technical officials, competitions, clubs, leagues, counties and schools, as well as six ‘player’ roles. 

TT England Chair, Nick Donald, said it was a pleasure to be able to tell Steve that the Board had agreed with the honours committee recommendation. Steve, who has played for Portishead since 1987, said: “I am delighted to have been honoured in this way. It is great to take the opportunity to represent Portishead Table Tennis Club on the national stage. There are many volunteers within the sport and within our club. This is a chance to give something back whilst helping to advance table tennis within the Bristol area and helping to develop our club even further." A veteran of the sport, Steve first started playing competitively in the Kettering and District League in the early 60s, when he joined Rothborough Table Tennis Club. He currently plays for the Portishead Sea Rovers (now renamed as the Krakens) team in the Bristol League Division 4. As the TTE AGM was online this year, Steve will receive his award in person at a future event.