Better’s Lisa Wallace, who is Duty Manager at Draper’s Field Recreation Ground in Leyton, has won Playfinder’s debut London Sports Venue Manager of the Year.

London Sports Venue Manager of the Year

Playfinder launched this award to provide a chance for grassroots sports users to honour elite managers and reward them for all their hard work in making the best sporting experience possible.

Lisa, who lives in Waltham Forest, has worked at the Drapers Field venue for two years and has been part of the Better family for 15 years.

Playfinder users have been voting for the venue managers who consistently make Londoners’ sporting lives easier. Over the past year, Lisa has helped place booking for community groups, schools and local users around Waltham Forest.

London Sports Venue Manager of the Year is a celebration of the integral role which venue managers play in the grassroots sector.

The winner was presented with a trophy and a signed certificate by David Sheepshanks OBE and Playfinder co-founder Jamie Foale.

Jamie Foale, Co-Founder of Playfinder, commented: “Venue managers are the true team players who keep London’s grassroots sports sector moving and Lisa is a prime example. Playfinder users appreciate all the hardwork that goes on behind the scenes and this award is a means for them to show their gratitude.”

Lisa Wallace, Draper’s Field Duty Manager said: “I am so grateful and very proud to not only have been nominated, but to have been awarded London’s Sports Venue Manager of 2016. I believe Drapers Field is not just a football pitch but a community hub. Drapers Field offers a place for people of all ages and backgrounds to come and play and interact together in a safe and friendly environment, helping to keep young people off the streets and giving them opportunities to make a difference for their future, whether that be pursuing a career in football or merely enhancing their social and life skills. The team at Drapers Field go above and beyond to ensure all visitors to the park have a safe and positive experience. I would like to thank the other duty managers Boniek and Vas for being a great team and ensuring everyone’s experience is amazing all the time, every time.”