Greg Searle MBE Head Ambassador Expand Winning gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and Bronze in London 2012, Greg is a globally recognised British Olympic rower. He also holds one World Championship gold, three silver and three bronze. In addition to Greg’s sporting accolades, he is the author of ‘If Not Now, When?’ and regularly takes the stage as an inspirational speaker. His involvement with charities extends far beyond sport, as he delves into areas such as medical research to help prevent illness in children. Greg is Access Sport’s head Ambassador and was made an Honorary Patron in 2018 due to his support and commitment to changing the lives of disadvantaged young people through sport. He has been working directly with team members on development and fundraising.Furthermore, Greg regularly leads our annual dinner events. "I support Access Sport because it sits close to my personal values. I was fortunate to have access to great sports facilities as a kid. My parents were great role models for me and I met many great people through sport. I now try to give my own kids the same opportunities but I know many young people aren’t so lucky. By supporting Access Sport I hope I can do something to help." Greg Searle, Linkedin
Alice Dearing Expand Alice Dearing became an Access Sport Ambassador in 2024, after retiring from her groundbreaking career as an Olympic marathon swimmer. In 2021, Alice became the first black woman to swim for Great Britain at an Olympic Games, a historic milestone for diversity in British sport. Fiercely passionate about inclusion, Alice has worked for over five years to make swimming accessible for everyone, regardless of age, background or location. Her commitment to ensuring swimming is for all led to her co-founding the Black Swimming Association; a charitable organisation that seeks to advocate water safety and inclusion for Black and Asian minorities within swimming. “Access Sport has a wonderful ethos of giving sporting opportunities to all, an ideal which I very much align with and want to help promote as much as possible. Sport has given me so much good in my life and I would love to see more people discover their opportunities for themselves.”Alice Dearing, Instagram
Ali Jawad OBE Expand Ali Jawad OBE is a Paralympic Silver Medalist, powerlifting World/Euro Champion and setter of world records. Despite being told that his disability and illness could kill him, Ali is a true champion of adversity. As of July 2018, Ali has been appointed to the board of Commonwealth Games England. Additionally, He is also a member of the UK Anti-Doping committee and works closely with the charity Crohn’s & Colitis charity UK. Ali particularly supports our Disability Inclusion Programme aimed at giving more young disabled people, specifically those in disadvantaged areas, access to sport. As a passionate advocate for inclusion he has also most recently launched the app Accessercise, the first ever fitness app for people with impairments. “Having faced up hill struggles all my life, being born with no legs and then being diagnosed with Chron's disease, seeing the support Access Sport give to your people in disadvantaged areas or suffering hardship is amazing. I'm proud and honoured to support such a forward thinking charity.”Accessercise
Charlotte Worthington MBE Expand Charlotte Worthington became an Access Sport Ambassador in 2022 after winning Olympic gold at Tokyo 2021. Charlotte became one of the faces of Tokyo when she scooped BMX freestyle gold, becoming the first woman to land a 360-degree backflip in the process. Worthington became a full-time rider in 2019 after BMX freestyle was added to the Olympic programme. She immediately reaped the rewards, winning world championship bronze in 2019 and 2021 before claiming Olympic gold. Charlotte Worthington, Instagram
Declan Brooks Expand Declan Brooks became an Access Sport Ambassador in 2022, having recently won a bronze medal in BMX Freestyle at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Declan was born in Portsmouth and grew up riding BMX at his local skate park in Southsea. Before winning an Olympic bronze medal, he won a bronze medal at the European BMX Championships in Valmiera, and a silver in the freestyle World Cup in 2019. Declan is a big supporter of Access Sport’s inclusive cycling offer, which aims to give every young person access to a bike, the skills and confidence to use it and somewhere local, safe and exciting to enjoy riding. Declan opened a brand new, all-ability cycling facility in Stockwood, Bristol on behalf of Access Sport in May 2022 and passionately believes in creating more open-access, community cycling facilities so that all young people can enjoy cycling.Declan Brooks, Instagram
Gail Emms MBE Expand Gail has achieved international success through English Badminton, winning gold in the 2006 World Championships and silver at the 2004 Olympic Games. Following her retirement, in 2014 Gail founded Gail Emms Consultancy and is the female face and voice of badminton, with the aim to inspire a new generation of athletes that know no boundaries. Gail has long supported Access Sport, regularly donating a unique Badminton Master class to be won at the annual dinner. It is always a pleasure to welcome Gail to our events every year.Gail Emms, Instagram
Gaz Choudhry MBE Expand Gaz Choudry, MBE, became an Access Sport Ambassador in 2023, after recently winning his second bronze at the 2020 Paralympics Games in Tokyo. At just 10 years old, Gaz had his right leg amputated due to osteosarcoma, bone cancer; two years later, the keen sportsperson’s life changed after being introduced to wheelchair basketball. Gaz has been integral to the GB Men’s Squad since his debut at the 2009 BT Paralympic World Cup, winning four European titles, a World title and two Paralympic bronze medals. In recent years, Gaz has also followed his passion for acting. Featuring alongside Kit Harington, Daveed Diggs, Sienna Miller and Meryl Streep, Gaz’s debut came in Apple TV’s ‘Extrapolations’ in 2023. “Wheelchair basketball has given me a group of lifelong friends and a social circle and an avenue for me to exercise and be healthy and all those things should be available to all disabled people, whether they just want to play any sport a couple of times a week, or have Paralympic aspirations.” Gaz Chowdry, Instagram
Helen Richardson-Walsh MBE Expand Having started her international hockey career in 1999 at the age of 17, Helen became the youngest ever woman to represent GB hockey at the Olympic Games in Sydney the following year and went on to compete in four Olympic Games. Over the course of an 18-year career, Helen represented her country 294 times, amassed 19 medals including Olympic bronze in London 2012, European gold in 2015, before finally reaching the pinnacle with an Olympic gold medal in Rio 2016. Helen is a keen advocate of sport for all and has been an ambassador of Access Sport since 2012 to help create more opportunities for everyone to access sport. The Flyerz inclusive hockey project has been a particular passion and alongside her role as the Para Hockey ambassador for the European Hockey Federation, she has attended many events across the UK and Europe to help inspire clubs and communities to offer training and competition to people with disabilities. Helen also has a MSc in psychology and works with people and teams to help them create environments where everyone can thrive. She regularly delivers keynote talks across a broad range of sectors, specialising on topics close to her heart: culture, leadership, teamship, personal growth, mental health, diversity and equality. Helen Richardson-Walsh, Twitter
Kate Richardson-Walsh OBE Expand Kate is a former captain of GB and England Women’s Hockey Team. Kate holds a myriad of international titles, the most notable being an Olympic gold medal which she won at the 2016 Rio Olympic games. Kate is a very proactive supporter of Access Sport, regularly attending events including the annual dinner. Kate shares her experience through motivational speaking, centred around team-work, leadership and inclusion. Kate is currently an ambassador for Women’s Sport Trust where her efforts work towards creating visible, strong female role models. Kate has been a keen supporter of the Disability Inclusion Programme’s work, to make hockey more inclusive through Flyerz hockey. In 2013 Kate, and wife Helen, attended the very first Flyerz Festival and travelled with the Flyerz team for the European ParaHockey Championships in Amsterdam, where they came away with the gold! They are both active advocates of inclusivity in hockey at the grass roots level also running a Hockey workshop for youth in local areas. You can check out the video here: “It is an honour to be an Access Sport Ambassador and to be involved in Flyerz Hockey.” Kate Richardson Walsh, Twitter
Olivia Breen Expand Olivia Breen became an Ambassador for Access Sport in 2022, shortly before winning a gold medal in the Women's T37/38 100m Final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Olivia is a Paralympic athlete, who has competed for Wales and Great Britain mainly in T38 sprint, T35-38 4 x 100m relay, and T38 long jump events. She began training with the junior group of the City of Portsmouth Athletics Club in England at age 13.Olivia has won Paralympic bronze medals in London 2012 (4 x 100m relay, T35-38) and Tokyo 2020 (long-jump, T38). She has represented Wales at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games, winning gold in the long jump at the Gold Coast games in 2018 and gold in the T37/38 100m sprint at Birmingham in 2022. Olivia has also won several medals competing at the IPC World and European Championships, most notably winning gold medals and setting a new world record in both 2015 (IPC World Championships) and 2016 (IPC European Championships) as part of the 4 x 100m relay team. Olivia shares Access Sport’s vision that no one should be excluded from the transformational benefits of community sport and she would like to see more opportunities for disabled and disadvantaged young people to be physically active in their local communities.Olivia Breen, Instagram
Pamela Cookey Expand Pamela Cookey became an Access Sport Ambassador in 2024. Inducted into the England Netball Hall of Fame, a former England netball captain and was widely recognised as one of the world’s best attacking players. Having retired from international netball in 2015, Pamela has stayed involved in the game via various roles. She was the Director of Netball at Severn Stars, is a member of the Sky Sports Broadcasting team, a Mintridge Netball Ambassador and the Independent Chair of Fearless Women, where she helps to enhance and drive positive change in women’s sport. “The work I have seen Access Sport provide to date is just amazing. The disadvantaged young people who have thrived through the support and funding over the years are so special to witness. The organisation really cares and champions a cause close to my heart. Where people can help, and that help can be life-changing. I want to be a part of that as I have seen first-hand the joy, and the benefits sport can inspire.” Pamela Cookey, Instagram
Quillan Isidore Expand Professional BMX rider Quillan, competed in the time trials at the 2015 World Championships. Quillan is an avid supporter of Access Sport’s cycling programme. He learnt to race on the first bike track built by Access Sport, Peckham BMX, and his and fellow ambassador Tre’s, incredible story was made into the feature length film 1 Way Up. Quillan is an ambassador of the cycling programme and spoke at the reception during the expansion of the work into Bristol. 1 Way Up trailer: Quillan Isidore, Instagram
Shanaze Reade Expand Shanaze is a former professional British BMXer and track cyclist, who has won the BMX World Championships three times and the team track sprint twice. In 2005 Shanaze was named one of the “Magnificent 7”, and in 2007 she was named The Sunday Times Young Sportswoman of the Year. Shanaze has become an ambassador for British Cycling, Sported and Access Sport - Shanaze is also an active supporter of Access Sport’s cycling programme, previously running a BMX camp to help engage more young people (have a look at the video below). She has also been supporting Access Sport’s expansion of our cycling offer in Bristol, speaking about her BMX journey at fundraising events and promoting the programme. Shanaze Reade, Instagram
Tre Whyte Expand National BMX champion, in 2014 Tre claimed bronze in the World Championships. Tre is a keen supporter and Ambassador of the cycling programme. Outside of his sporting endeavours Tre has also worked with the England Footballers Foundation, in an effort to improve local clubs and promote BMX. Originally he learnt to race on the first bike track built by Access Sport, Peckham BMX, and his and fellow ambassador Quillan’s, incredible story was made into the feature length film ‘1 Way Up’. Tre regularly attends fundraising dinners and spoke at the reception to launch the cycling programme in Bristol. 1 Way Up trailer: Tre Whyte, Instagram
Vanessa Raw Expand Once professional triathlete, now professional artist, Vanessa achieved 8 top ten positions and won 3 medals between 2006 and 2010 after taking part in 26 ITU competitions. Away from sport, Vanessa uses her degree in Fine Art and passion as an artist to paint - many of which go on to be sold for charity, raising thousands. Vanessa is a keen supporter of Access Sport’s work that seeks to provide disadvantaged children and young people with a physical literacy in swimming, cycling and running. Vanessa has also supported the annual dinner and previously provided her artwork for the auction.Vanessa Raw, Instagram