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Hillsborough man George Lucas is delighted to have been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List.

A lifelong member of Downshire Tennis Club and advocate for sport across Northern Ireland, George received the honour for services to tennis and to sports management and administration in Northern Ireland.

George, who is now 78, has been playing tennis since the age of five and has seen the sport, and the Downshire Tennis Club in Hillsborough grow tremendously over the years.

"I was born in Park Lane in Hillsborough, just beside Downshire Tennis Club,” George explained.

Hillsborough man George Lucas delighted to receive an MBE in the New Year Honours. Pic credit: SportNI

"My father rented the garden from the club and acted as an unofficial caretaker.

"I have three big sisters and a big brother and we all played tennis. It was a lovely place to grow up.”

Over the years George has seen the club membership at Downshire grow from 70 to 700 and for the last eight years, as Chairman of SportNI, he has shared his passion for sport to see membership of clubs across Northern Ireland also continue to grow.

"I am very passionate about tennis but I love all sports really,” he continued. ”I had the opportunity eight years ago to apply for the job as Sports NI Chairperson. Since 2017 we have seen membership of clubs across the governing boards increase from 217,000 to 434,000 and we hope to reach 500,000 by 2028.”

When George received his letter from the Cabinet Office informing him that he had received an MBE, he was certainly surprised.

"I was absolutely delighted,” he said. “I was surprised but delighted.

"It is really lovely to be recognised and I am so pleased.”

George is following in his wife Letty’s footsteps after she was awarded a BEM in the 2020 New Year Honours.

"We met through tennis 60 years ago. She is President of Tennis Ireland. We have worked together in different roles over the years. It is a real partnership.”

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George is already looking forward to receiving the honour in person and has been blown away by the response from friends, family, and co-workers.

“I have received so many very nice messages,” he added. “I have had 230 messages from people I have encountered over the years.

"It’s been very, very nice. It’s been a lovely way to start the New Year.”

Hillsborough man ‘delighted and surprised’ to receive MBE in New Year Honours