Royal Navy personnel were awarded for their outstanding contribution to Royal Navy Sport at the Royal Maritime Club in Portsmouth.
Personnel were recognised for years of service to Royal Navy Sport and the huge advancements and support they have provided to their respective associations.
Lt Cdr Adam Egeland-Jensen was awarded for his dedication and unwavering support which has attributed to the continued success of the Royal Navy paddlesports Association.
Following sustained engagement in the association from 2009, Lt Cdr Egeland-Jensen took on the role of the Royal Navy paddlesport secretary in 2013, vice chair in 2014, chair in 2016 and vice chair in 2024. Additionally, having identified a reduction in paddlesport participation during his tenure on the committee, he dedicated himself to improving the opportunities available for Royal Navy personnel.
His professionalism and dedication to personal and professional development in the pursuit of sporting achievement has resulted in improvements in physical, psychological and social wellbeing.
Lt Cdr Danny Bonner was recognised for his commitment and leadership for Royal Navy Volleyball and an exemplar in delivering success for Royal Navy Sport. His contributions as a player, a coach, and as a friend to so many people in the UK and across the globe are spoken of with such reverence that he has already been elevated to join an elite group of Royal Navy Volleyball legends who are synonymous with the sport in the Crown Services and Internationally.
As the ‘go to’ individual for all things volleyball for the Royal Navy, his passion is as strong as it was when he started, and he remains as committed as ever. There is no doubt that this dedicated and extremely humble individual has made an inordinate number of personal sacrifices in making outstanding contributions to Royal Navy Volleyball.
Lt Cdr Iain Thomson received the award for his outstanding and unwavering support to Royal Navy Target Shooting. For nearly 30 years, while both serving and since having retired, Iain has been the key person in facilitating several Target Shooting disciplines in the Royal Navy, including Full and Small Bore Target Rifle, Air Rifle and Target Pistol.
Since at least 1996 Iain has run the Royal Navy Small Bore club at HMS Sultan, served as Hon. Secretary of the Target Rifle Club since 2008, and during periods of unprecedented pressure on work force and budgets, has worked effectively and diligently to keep the different strands of the shooting sports alive. As well as serving as Royal Navy and UKAF Team Captain, Adjutant, and Team Manager at multiple matches over the last 40 years, both serving and following his retirement from the Royal Navy.
Cpt Mark Selway was honoured for his contribution to Royal Navy Golf. Mark was instrumental in the associations 2023 Inter-Service success, after years of efforts to grow the game, from grassroots to the higher echelons, identifying new talent, and optimising the preparation of the teams.
The contribution that Mark made throughout his career cannot be overstated. As Fleet Air Arm Captain, Royal Navy Men’s 1st Team Captain and Vice-Captain, RNGA Vice Chair, and before retiring from the Royal Navy, the Chair of the RNGA, his drive and enthusiasm was ever-present. Keen, committed and with purpose, he has sought to rekindle the passion and belief that the RNGA demanded and warranted the best and is the best.
Lt Cdr Keith Attwood was recognised for his pivotal contribution to the Royal Navy Motorsports Association over the last 14 years as both a Competitor and Team Captain in addition to serving as the Treasurer, Webmaster and Membership Secretary. Through his dedication, the funding and on line profile of the Association has been raised and with it the level of membership.
Keith has showed diligent support to all 6 disciplines within the association, his unwavering support seeing the teams through Inter-Service and Armed forces success, not to mention his personal success as Inter-Service Novice Champion and becoming Royal Navy Champion in back to back seasons. His efforts sought avenues for progression of personnel to higher levels of competition and as treasurer, he secured a transformational in year bid of £0.45 million for the association, enabling the purchase of new vehicles and safety equipment for each team.
A talented and humble team player, Lieutenant Commander Attwood has made a direct contribution to retention in the Service and with it operational capability.
Last but by no means least, Lt Cdr Lee McEvoy was awarded for his outstanding contribution not Royal Navy Hockey during a period spanning 5 decades where he has been instrumental in increasing the competitiveness of Navy players and officials at all levels of hockey.
During his active-duty career Lee regularly represented at unit and Command level, and at weekends United Services Portsmouth. He has been a player, coach and official in competitions including Navy Cup, local forces hockey leagues and even toured with Royal Navy Seniors. He represented the Royal Navy Masters at the Inter Services and UKAF Masters (O45s, and O50s) at various divisional competitions. Lee still occasionally plays as a Royal Navy Grand Masters(O55) against England LX.
Later taking on management and coaching roles, qualifying as an umpire and supporting England Hockey. Not to mention being the lynchpin of U25 hockey, his development and nurturing of this talent pool underpins the development of the Senior side.
All those recognised are thoroughly well deserving of their outstanding contribution awards for their unwavering support to their associations and the development and continued success of Royal Navy Sport.
