Lisa Wainwright awarded MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Lisa basketball ()

The Sport and Recreation Alliance is delighted to confirm that Lisa Wainwright has been awarded an MBE in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Lisa has been a driving force in improving the sport and physical activity sector for over 25 years and has been in her current role as CEO of the Alliance for the past two years, leading the organisation and supporting more than 300 members through the COVID-19 pandemic.

This award is in recognition for the incredible contribution Lisa has made in a variety of roles in the sector including pioneering work on safeguarding for National Governing Bodies, the establishment of the Sports Strategic Partnership 4 Volunteers and the creation of the first set of standards for quality assured clubs.

Reflecting on the announcement, Lisa said: “I am truly honoured, privileged and shocked to have received this news. I have been passionate about improving standards in sport and recreation for my whole career but never imagined that it would lead to this type of recognition.

“I would like to thank the teams I have worked with over the last three decades for helping me support and implement real change in the sector and I would like to thank the team at home who have allowed me to dedicate myself to this passion.”

Andrew Moss, Chair of the Alliance, added: “I was delighted to hear this news and I know that I speak on behalf of everyone at the Sport and Recreation Alliance in extending our congratulations to Lisa.”

Colleagues at Sport England, England Netball, Volleyball England and British Basketball have all experienced the drive and commitment that Lisa puts into her work during her time with them and she has also taken on 16 voluntary roles in the sector, assisting both national and international bodies to perform to the best of their ability.

Lisa is also a proud role model and ambassador for the LGBTQ+ community as a lesbian mum of two daughters and she continues to lobby for equality at a local, domestic and international level – whilst mentoring a large number of women into senior executive and Director roles.