Ian Hewitt, Chairman of the Wimbledon Foundation and Vice Chairman of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), has been awarded the President’s Award by international charity WaterAid.
The President’s Award represents the highest level of commendation the charity bestows upon its supporters and recognises Hewitt’s significant role in establishing the thriving partnership with WaterAid during his time as Chairman of the Wimbledon Foundation.
The partnership, currently in the second of a three-year term, is supporting projects in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali and Nepal helping to create better health for communities as part of WaterAid’s mission to ensure, everyone has access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene by 2030.
Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive of WaterAid, said: “Joining forces with the charitable arm of one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events has not only provided much needed funds for our work in some of the poorest countries, but has also helped us to raise awareness of the urgent need to address the global water and sanitation crisis. The President’s Award is our way of recognising the impact the Wimbledon Foundation has had on our work and thanking Ian for all he has done to champion WaterAid in his role as Chairman of the Foundation.”
Ian Hewitt, Chairman of the Wimbledon Foundation, said: “I am delighted to accept the WaterAid President’s Award on behalf of the Wimbledon Foundation. We have seen the transformative impact that access to clean water and improved sanitation has on local communities and we are proud to support WaterAid’s important and inspiring work.”
Earlier this year, WaterAid and the Wimbledon Foundation created a striking fountain of 2,631 tennis balls to mark the number of lives that could be saved on average each day if everyone everywhere had clean water and decent toilets. Originally on display in Greenwich Park, the fountain was moved to Wimbledon Park for the duration of The Championships. The tennis balls were gifted by Slazenger, the Official Ball of The Championships, and recycled afterwards by Wandsworth Work and Play Scrapstore, a local charity supported by the Wimbledon Foundation.
Hewitt has chaired the Wimbledon Foundation, the official charity of the All England Club and The Championships, since it was established in 2013. He will succeed Philip Brook as Club Chairman following the Club’s Annual General Meeting in December 2019.
