Geoff Newton awarded OBE in King's New Year's Honours

A former Vice-Chair of the British Paralympic Association has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to sport in the King’s New Year honours list.

Geoff Newton, OBE, served on the board for eight years from 2013, a period when ParalympicsGB continued to excel at Summer and Winter Paralympic Games.

He has a deep commitment to access to sporting opportunities for all disabled people and continues his involvement in Paralympic sport as a board member of the European Paralympic Committee.

Mr Newton said: “I am delighted to be awarded an OBE for my work in helping to promote opportunities for disabled people, and striving for both sport, and society in general, to be more inclusive.

“Sport changes lives and the BPA has led the way in supporting many disabled people to become both champions and role models.”

He was also Chief Executive of the Tennis Foundation responsible for broadening the base of the sport, with a focus on young people, disabled people and disadvantaged communities. The Tennis Foundation merged with the Lawn Tennis Association Trust in 2018 to become the LTA Tennis Foundation.

Mr Newton was previously a Director at the London Development Agency, with responsibility for delivering social and economic benefits for the capital from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and served for many years on the Board of the All England Club, Wimbledon, where he was very involved in supporting the inclusion of Wheelchair Tennis into the Championships.