Guernsey Press

Table tennis MBE recipient struggled to get to palace

HEAVY SNOW was not enough to stop Derek Webb being made an MBE at Buckingham Palace yesterday. [FRI]

Published
A proud moment for Guernsey Table Tennis Association president Derek Webb as he receives his MBE from the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace yesterday. (Picture by Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire.)

The 65-year-old has

been president of the Guernsey Table Tennis Association since 1999 and his name was included in the New Year’s Honour List for his services to the sport.

Yesterday he was presented with his MBE by the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace.

‘It was a fantastic experience,’ he said.

‘There were about 60 of us there to get presented with different awards. Prince William had a chat to everyone. He said that his wife likes to play table tennis.

‘He was very easy to talk to.’

Mr Webb’s wife Christine was in the front row for the ceremony, along with their children Emma, 37, Hayley, 33, and Dale, 31. Hayley had travelled over from Australia to see her father get his award.

Getting to London had proved challenging for Mr Webb.

The family had been due to fly to the UK on Thursday morning but with no planes getting out due to the snow, the family moved their booking to the Clipper ferry – but that was cancelled.

Fortunately they were able to bring their booking forward to a Wednesday evening flight, when several aircraft managed to get out.

After receiving the award at the palace, Mr Webb and his family went for a special lunch.

Mr Webb said he had kept the MBE pinned on his morning suit all day.