Dear Stewart,

I would like to nominate Paul Durrant, Chairman of Surbiton Chess Club, for the President's Award for Services to Chess.

As far as I'm aware he has been playing chess since the early 1960s, for Surrey CCA, Surbiton, & Mushrooms Chess Clubs.

I first came across Paul in the mid-1980s when I started to play chess for Battersea in the Surrey and Thames Valley leagues.

Also at the Surrey Easter Congress when held in Sutton. A stronger player than I, a gentleman, & captain of their teams.

When I moved to the Kingston area, then had children, the only games I could play for family reasons were away to Kingston and
Surbiton, and for the County. I eventually joined Kingston on the basis it was 5 minutes walk less, after long conversations with Paul
and Chris Clegg from Kingston. At  that time Kingston was running 7 teams and Surbiton running 2 teams. Some 25 years later Surbiton is thriving with about 8 or 9 teams, junior chess too, and
Kingston has 2. Surbiton have been very active in supporting Kingston in the last 10 years.

Paul has been Mr Surbiton for years. That is a quote from Graham Borrowdale who hosted a County Quarterfinals this season.
Recently they have been very successful. Joint 1st in Thames Valley division 1 last season, &
winning outright for the 1st time this season. Two teams in the top division. They have won the knockout Trophy the last 4 seasons.

Next season they will have two teams in Surrey's 1st division. Their second team won. In Thames Valley division 3 they have won.
So will play in division 2 next season. They also have a team in the 4NCL. Not many small clubs have that.

Paul serves on Thames Valley's committee. His memories of why some old rules were brought in is helpful to me (stopping teams
parachuting strong players in towards the end of a season when effecting league titles). The club have been very supportive when
nobody else was coming forward after Alan Marshall's retirement.

Paul enjoys his chess, works most weekends so has not been able to play County Chess but have certainly helped Surrey get some old
and young new players into our teams.

I hope others have put their nomination in to you for him.

I know that Paul has a number of excellent people supporting him, and an excellent facility to play in, through his work.

Nick Grey
Kingston Chess Club,
Surrey CCA,
Thames Valley League Secretary