News
Keep up to date with the latest news from NPUA and our members.
Coach & assessor webinar
On Wednesday 2nd December, two of our top International Umpire Managers are hosting an lonline webinar for our coaches and assessors. Margaret Hunnaball and Louise Knipe will be sharing the knowledge they have gained from working at the top level!
30 November 2020
Stop the count!
Congratulations to Robert Brownbridge who recently umpired his 200th National League match. A great achievement – well done Robert!
7 November 2020
The unrecognised key of the game
Thanks to England Hockey for this great article profiling three of our umpires: The unrecognised key of the game
21 October 2020
New umpiring shirts dispatched
The new umpiring shirts have just been dispatched; look out for yours being delivered int he next few days. Thanks as always to our partners at Specialist Sports
25 September 2020
NPUA Conference 2020
Thanks to everyone who attended this year’s virtual NPUA Conference; with over 110 attendees each day it was our biggest event ever! A special thanks to all of our presenters, as well as our friends at Sharp Focus for their support in producing the event.
6 September 2020
NPUA Annual Awards 2020
Tonight our members had a fantastic evening celebrating our success at our annual awards evening. Over 100 members joined the event to congratulate our NPDP graduates and our award winners:
Chris Todd Umpire Support Award: Dawn Bonner
Indoor Umpire of the Year: Sean Edwards
Graham Nash Trophy for Outdoor Umpire of the Year: Gill Lord
4 September 2020
Guest presenters announced for 2020 NPUA onference
The Executive Committee is delighted to announce the guest presenters for this year’s virtual event. As well as our high-quality internal speakers, we’ll also be hearing from England & GB International Brendan Creed, former England cricketer turned Sky Sports presenter Rob Key, plus former England cricket & hockey player & coach Jane Powell. it promises to be a great event!
4 September 2020
International umpiring success
Congratulations to Jake Charles on his recent promotion to FIH International Outdoor Umpire, and to Isaac Charles on his promotion to FIH International Indoor Umpire. You can read more about these fantastic achievements here
28 July 2020
International umpire management success
Congratulations to Liz Pelling who was recently promoted to the FIH Indoor Advancement Panel as an Umpire Manager, a brilliant achievement!
28 July 2020
Awards
The NPUA Awards ceremony is held every year during the gala dinner at the NPUA Conference.
Honorary Vice Presidents of NPUA are elected at the AGM.
Our annual awards are: The Graham Nash Trophy for Outdoor Umpire of the Year, the Indoor Umpire of the Year and the Chris Todd Award for Umpire Support.
Occasionally we also present our special awards; the NPUA Special Merit Award and The Julia Gill Lifetime Achievement Award.
Honorary Vice Presidents
2018 Peter Worrall
2013 Peter Halliday
2006 John Gawley, MBE
Julia Gill Lifetime Achievement Award
2019 Liz Pelling
2019 Jackie Gibbs
2018 Frances Block
2018 John Litchfield
2017 Hamish Jamson
2016 Richard Kirk
2016 Geoff Blakeman
2015 Val Sassall
2012 Julia Gill
2010 Andy Mair
2009 Colin Barthorpe
2008 Louise Knipe
2007 David Lane
2006 John Gawley, MBE
2006 Paul Box-Grainger
2005 Frank Lockhart
2005 Peter Halliday
NPUA Special Merit Award
2016 Terry Norwood
2015 Sarah Bush
2014 Hannah Harrison
2014 Carol Unwin
2013 David Dowdall
2011 Julia Gill
2010 Val Sassall
2009 Hamish Jamson
2008 Richard Wood
2007 Bridget Midwinter
2006 Peter Stiven
2005 James O’Hara
2005 Margaret Hunnaball
Outdoor Umpire of the Year, The Graham Nash Trophy
2020 Gill Lord
2019 Lee Barron
2018 James Barnes
2017 Matt Harrison
2016 Gareth Perry
2015 Tim Benford
2014 Rob Argent
2013 Hamish Jamson
2012 Matt Harrison
2011 Stuart Baxter
2010 Lili James
2009 Hamish Jamson
Indoor Umpire of the Year
2020 Sean Edwards
2019 Lia Waine
2018 Rebecca Woodcock
2017 Andy Poulain
2016 Gemma Jones
2015 Frances Block
2015 Lee Barron
2014 Rob Jenkins
2013 Tim Benford
2012 Nick White
2011 Sarah Bush
2010 Lili James
The Chris Todd Award for Umpire Support
2020 Dawn Bonner
2019 Liz Pelling
2018 Margaret Hunnaball
2017 David Ellcock
2016 Louise Knipe
2015 John Litchfield
2014 Tony Kelleher
2013 Jane Nockolds
2012 Barry Anderson
2011 Liz Pelling
Olympians
NPUA is incredibly proud of the following members, who have reached the pinnacle of our sport and officiated at an Olympic Games.
2016 | Andy Mair (video umpire), XXXI Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro | 1996 | Gill Clarke (umpire), XXVI Olympic Games, Atlanta |
2012 | Frances Block (umpire), XXX Olympic Games, London | 1992 | Graham Nash (umpire), XXV Olympic Games, Barcelona |
2012 | Hamish Jamson (umpire), XXX Olympic Games, London | 1992 | Chris Todd (umpire), XXV Olympic Games, Barcelona |
2008 | Andy Mair (umpire), XXIX Olympic Games, Beijing | 1988 | Graham Nash (umpire), XXIV Olympic Games, Seoul |
2008 | Jane Nockolds (umpires manager), XXIX Olympic Games, Beijing | 1984 | Graham Nash (umpire), XXIII Olympic Games, Los Angeles |
2008 | Julia Gill (technical official), XXIX Olympic Games, Beijing | 1980 | Graham Nash (umpire), XXII Olympic Games, Moscow |
2004 | Julia Gill (technical official), XXVIII Olympic Games, Athens | 1976 | Graham Nash (umpire), XXI Olympic Games, Montreal |