MBE for John Lister
Tuesday 15 June 2010
Cardiff AAC’s John Lister has been awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
The award comes for his remarkable achievement in athletics as a competitor and administrator at club, Welsh, UK and at European level for over 50 years.
John won 12 Welsh athletics titles between 1963 and 1966 as a hurdler, decathlete and high jumper, and also set a Welsh record for the latter.
He has been treasurer of Cardiff AAC, and its predecessor, Birchgrove (Cardiff) Harriers between 1966 and 2006, and one of the longest serving officials in UK club athletics.
He was a member of the Executive Committee of the governing body for athletics in Wales for 16 years and treasurer of the UK athletics governing body for 13 years.
After many years of service to UK and Welsh athletics he took his experience to the European scene and became UK representative on the Council of the European Athletics Association (EAA) for three four-year terms between 1995 and 2007. He was also the EAA’s delegate responsible for the organisation of the European Athletics Championships in Munich in 2002 and Gothenburg 2006.
As the delegate leading the committee responsible for the organisation of the European Athletics Championships, he had an extremely demanding role and one that would normally be undertaken by a paid officer. Such is his dedication and commitment to the sport of athletics that he undertook these roles as a volunteer. The general view of constituent members and the athletics public at large was that the 2002 and 2006 Championships were well organised and successful – and this was due to John’s attention to detail and meticulous organising skill.
John was one of the driving forces behind the amalgamation of the two athletics clubs in Cardiff in 1968 to form Cardiff AAC, and of the club’s development as one of the largest and most successful clubs in Britain. This new club had, and continues to have a major impact on Welsh athletics and on sport in the City of Cardiff. Cardiff AAC is one of the largest “youth” clubs in Cardiff and thereby provides a valuable service to the young people of the City.
He has been a Trustee of the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund since its formation following the death of the BBC athletics commentator in 1991. He was instrumental in drawing up the Trust Deed and is still a Trustee today.
A chartered accountant by profession, his attention to detail and meticulous organising skill has made him one of athletics’ outstanding administrators and his MBE is a deserved award for his contribution to athletics in Wales, UK and Europe over half a century.
Thanks to Clive Williams for providing this news item.