Ice Hockey UK would like to thank Geoff Hemmerman, Ken Taggart and Tom Manners who have stood down from their roles on the Board after their tenures came to an end.

Geoff Hemmerman has been involved in ice hockey for over 30 years since starting his involvement in his home town of Hull, before joining the IHUK Board in 2005.

He has helped lead the organisation of dozens of major tournaments, including producing bid brochures and developing the game and logistics schedules, as well as a stint as Team Leader for Great Britain Under-18 Women from 2009 to 2013.

Geoff introduced the Conference tournament for the English Ice Hockey Association in 1996 and ran it until 2019, led the women’s programme from 2005 to 2010 and also spent 13 years as a Director with EIHA.

Ken Taggart spent over 40 years as Chair of the English Ice Hockey Association and was one of the founders of the organisation in 1982.

A former on-ice official and respected throughout the sport in the UK, he guided the EIHA through a restructuring in 1999 which coincided with IHUK’s transition to its current structure.

He joined the Ice Hockey UK Board in 2016 and his knowledge and experience in the sport has proved vital over the past eight years.

Upon his departure from the EIHA in 2021, he was named as Honorary President in recognition of his dedication to the organisation.

Meanwhile, Tom Manners has also stepped down from his Director role after filling in at Board level during an important period of restructuring for IHUK

He will continue to lead IHUK’s growth efforts as Commercial, Marketing and Communications Director.

Ice Hockey Chair, Clifton Wrottesley, said: “On behalf of IHUK, I would like to thank Geoff and Ken for their dedication to the sport which between them amounts to over 70 years.

“Their experience and knowledge has been vital not just to Ice Hockey UK, but to countless people who play and work in this sport.

“I’d also like to thank Tom Manners for his tenure on the Board. Tom’s experience in sport has been hugely beneficial in the short space of time that he has been part of IHUK.

“He will continue to help drive us forward in his Commercial, Marketing and Communications Director role.”