Meet our People
Halton Tennis Centre (HTC) is a non-profit making charity that reinvests its surplus to improve our services and facilities every year. Over 65 people currently work at Halton – a mix of part-time & full time, employed & self-employed, making us one of the largest local employers and a positive contribution to the local community. Our people are our strength, and we invest much time and energy in training – our small office team alone have a combined service of over 50 years!
HTC is a charity and Limited Company, and has trustees and Directors. The annual return is posted at Companies House and the Charities Commission.
Meet the directors and some of the staff who manage the Centre and look after our members below. You can meet our coaches here and our gym staff on our gym website here.
Having played at Halton initially for the RAF in the 1980's and from 1990 as a member of the Halton Village Club, Nick has a decades-long association with Halton. Involved 'off court' since 2001, he initially helped with the creation of Halton Tennis Centre and its subsequent growth over the past 2 decades, moving from the traditional committee to a semi-professional and then professional-led environment enabling us to build more indoor tennis courts and create our gym in 2009.
Nick also has a strong focus on the financial and environmental sustainability of our indoor tennis.
"I am very humbled and proud to play a part in not just creating a great place to play tennis and meet friends but also to create many employment opportunities for young people. I'm also incredibly proud of what we've achieved in our sustainable indoor tennis project and continue to provide a lead in becoming carbon neutral."
Dublin-born Gill first set foot at Halton Tennis Centre in 1972 when her RAF husband was posted to the nearby station. She joined Halton Tennis Club then and remained a member ever since, working locally in The Radiochemical Centre in Amersham.
With a background of financial administration, and after retiring from her last industry position with Johnson & Johnson in 2004, Gill became a permanent fixture at Halton and is now the first point of contact for enquiries and membership.
Camilla is a qualified Tennis coach and LTA referee but currently her main role at Halton Tennis Centre is helping with the Club Administration, in particular managing the Gym membership and supporting the Everyball Coaching team in an administrative role.
Pete Taylor
Maintenance
Pete has played a key role over the past decade in creating and maintaining arguably one of the most impressive set of facilities seen in a tennis club. His knowledge and passion for the club are unrivalled.
Ollie Taylor
Environment & Operations Manager
Ollie has been part of the grounds and maintenance team at Halton Tennis Centre for over six years, but has been involved in large-scale projects and event assistance at the club since he was sixteen years old. His role as Operations Manager, in developing the club’s grounds and facilities, is supported by his background; he has two degrees in art and design and a specialism in carpentry and furniture.
Olly has a natural interest and passion for the environment and leads our sustainability efforts at Halton.
John Walker
Founder Director and Chairman of Halton Tennis Centre
John started his working life as a professional soccer player, but injury led him to instead pursue a career in finance. Joining Heuga in Holland in the early seventies he became group finance director in 1978. After acquisition by Interface he had profit responsibility stretching from Western Europe to Australia and Japan and pioneered the opening of a number of businesses in Eastern Europe. He also helped develop Interface into becoming the first name in industrial ecology and a truly sustainable enterprise. Retiring as the President and CEO of Interface Europe and Asia Pacific John has since set up and helped to develop a number of successful businesses: change management consultants, a nursing home group specialising in care for mentally ill patients, software development among others. He sits on a number of company boards and is our proud Chairman.
Damian Gange
Founder Director
Damian has had a very long and distinguished career in the RAF Physical Education branch, as well as being a Halton stalwart - winning the RAF champs many times and being fundamental in the growth and participation of tennis in the RAF. As one of the four Founder-Directors of Halton Tennis Centre, Damian was instrumental in guiding through the changes and setting the standards that allowed the centre to flourish into its current form. Damian also qualified as a Level 4 Coach and even in retirement still coaches part-time at his local club.
Rob Pain
Director / Trustee
After a start in teaching Rob gained over 30 years’ experience within the financial services industry. Initially working at Target Group and AXA in various sales, business development and marketing roles, he then joined Friends Provident in 1991 to set up its Agency Division. After a number of senior roles in Customer Services, and Business Process Outsourcing, he joined Friends Provident International in 2005 as Sales Director and a member of the Board. He then moved on to Investors Trust Assurance as Managing Director and then Executive Chairman. He is also the Chair of the Association of International Life Companies, the trade body that represents the international life insurance industry. He lives in Weston Turville with his wife, Julie, and has 4 children. He is a keen sportsmen still playing football and of course tennis.
Chris Duffin
Director / Trustee
Bio coming soon.
Mark Campion
Director / Trustee
Mark is Executive Chairman of Campion Willcocks. Mark immerses himself in knowledge leadership and sharing, and coaching on people and process change. His passions are work, family and rugby. A non-executive Director of the RPA (Rugby Players’ Association) since 2003, he helps shape strategy, goals and success. He is also Trustee of Restart, the RPA Benevolent Fund. Of all his roles, Mark cites playing ‘touchline Dad’ as the most nerve-wracking. Mark is Vice Chairman of FTF (fund raising committee for Fields in Trust) a FRIEND of the Mary Rose Trust and supporter of the Navy and Royal Marines Charity.
Tom Mayer
Director / Trustee
Tom was born and raised in North Dakota in the United States. He lived and worked in Germany from 1996-2003, when he moved to the UK and worked for many years as a management consultant. He eventually moved into the social care sector and now owns and operates children's residential care homes in Northampton. Tom and his children have been actively playing tennis at Halton Tennis Centre since 2012 and Tom is the club's LTA Welfare/Safeguarding Officer.