Tim Jones Access Sport Chairman Expand Tim is a former managing partner of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, also working as HRH Prince Charles’ Ambassador for ‘Responsible Business in London’, between 2010 – 2012. Tim was also the former legal adviser to London 2012 and General Counsel to England 2015 for the Rugby World Cup. Tim works as a Trustee for a selection of charities, aiming to improve opportunities and increase safety across London - in our case this is through sport. Currently, Tim is a member of the Access Sport Income Generation team. Tim Jones, Linkedin
Charlie Beauchamp Access Sport Founder Expand Sports marketer Charlie Beauchamp founded Access Sport in 2004 with the help of former England Rugby Captain Phil de Glanville and full-back Jon Callard. Their goal was to encourage grass-roots youth participation in sport through the existing network of clubs, in partnership with major corporations wanting to align their brands with (and invest in) community sport. The focus was to help the army of volunteers to grow participation through selecting clubs that had the ambition and ability to grow.
Grace Clancey Honorary Patron Expand Grace has 20 years’ experience working in the sport and leisure sector in a variety of different roles. After several enjoyable years working at Sport England, in 2001 Grace co-founded leading leisure consultancy business, Continuum Sport and Leisure Ltd – where Grace currently acts as the Company Director. Grace specialises in working with clients on insight gathering, strategy and policy development, grant funding and facilities planning. She has notable experience of working with National Governing Bodies of sport, clubs, the education sector, local authorities, charities, and the private sector. Grace was a Trustee of Access Sport from 2012 - 2020 and is also a Trustee of Goalball UK. Grace Clancey, Linkedin
Greg Searle MBE Honorary Patron 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
John Baker Honorary Patron Expand John is a retired lawyer and one of Access Sport Bristol’s longest-standing Board members. He has supported the charity for many years, offering invaluable legal insight and strategic guidance as Access Sport has expanded its work across the city. John's long-standing commitment to social impact and his deep connection to Bristol have made him a key figure in the charity’s local development. Passionate about creating equal opportunities for all young people, he continues to champion Access Sport’s mission to make sport more inclusive and accessible to those who need it most.John Baker, Linkedin
John Clark Honorary Patron Expand John Clark is a leading executive within the global video games industry. Currently Vice President of Partnerships at Chinese technology and entertainment company Tencent, John was previously Executive Vice President of Publishing at SEGA Europe. John advises Access Sport on its partnerships with the video games sector and is a member of the Income Generation Committee.
John Sarsby Honorary Patron Expand John is a retired Chartered Accountant having worked with the Charity since it's inception and became a Trustee in 2009. John is the Trustee Treasurer and is responsible for overseeing the Charity's finances. John was made a patron in 2020.
Keith Wishart Honorary Patron Expand Keith is currently a consultant for Lane4 having previously been International Managing Director for Thomas International. He plays a key role on the Access Sport Dinner Committee as well as being on the Income Generation team. Keith Wishart, Linkedin
Matthew Dawson Honorary Patron Expand Matthew is an IT Director and a father of two young children. In his spare time he is an endurance athlete and has supported Access Sport since 2013 when he first raised money completing his English Channel solo swim. Matthew truly believes that sport can change lives and that it should be a basic right for everyone from all backgrounds. The work Access Sport does to provide the opportunity to get disadvantaged children active and involved in sport, as well as working with local communities to build sustainable clubs is exactly what is needed to help combat many of the social problems of today. In July 2017 Matt was invited to be an Honorary Patron of Access Sport to recognise and celebrate his incredible support. Matthew Dawson, LinkedIn
Tim Jones Honorary Patron Expand Tim is a former managing partner of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, also working as HRH Prince Charles’ Ambassador for ‘Responsible Business in London’, between 2010 – 2012. Tim was also the former legal adviser to London 2012 and General Counsel to England 2015 for the Rugby World Cup. Tim works as a Trustee for a selection of charities, aiming to improve opportunities and increase safety across London - in our case this is through sport. Tim served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for Access Sport from 2016 until 2020, overseeing significant growth and enhancements to the charity’s governance; having completed his trustee term in Spring 2020 he continues to support the charity as an Honorary Patron. Tim Jones, Linkedin
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 Choudhry, 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
Tess Howard Expand As a current Team GB Hockey player and Commonwealth Gold Medalist, Tess is passionate about inclusion in sport. Since 2022, Tess has been campaigning to change national and international hockey uniform policies and allow players the choice to wear shorts and skorts in the same team. This groundbreaking work has evolved hockey tradition both in the UK and on sports biggest stage, the Olympics! As a published academic, Tess’s paper on the impact of gendered sport uniforms on girls’ participation in sport gained international media coverage and laid the groundwork for further activism in this space. Having been a long-term supporter of Access Sport’s Flyerz Hockey programme, Tess joined a panel discussion at their 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner in November 2024, alongside Lola Anderson, Dimitri Coutya and Alice Dearing, sharing her journey from community hockey to the elite level. She has also been working with Access Sport’s community team to understand the inclusive sportswear needs of children and young people they support. When asked how her background connects with the work of Access Sport, Tess said: “I want to help as many people enjoy the benefits of activity. Sport is freedom and fun, and I believe it is critical for a happy life. It has been amazing to support Flyerz Hockey and see the difference it makes for people of all ages. The community is wonderful. After partnering with Access Sport to create Inclusive Sportswear guidance for neurodiverse and disabled people, I want to support their incredible work further.” Tess Howard, Instagram
Rachel Baillache Access Sport Chair Expand Rachel joined Access Sport as our Chair in 2025. Rachel is a community sports enthusiast. She currently holds Non-Executive Director roles at the Lawn Tennis Association, UK Sport and Men’s Professional Rugby Board. Rachel was an audit partner at KPMG for over twenty years. She was also a member of KPMG International’s Global Executive, serving as the Global Head of People, Performance and Culture and was the Executive responsible for global communications. She has worked extensively in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), having led KPMG’s first Global Inclusion Strategy and is currently serving as the Chair of the Lawn Tennis Association’s Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Group. Rachel is a qualified Chartered Accountant and was a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Rachel brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning, governance, and risk and crisis management through her non-executive roles. Passionate about both elite sport and grassroots participation, she offers a unique perspective that spans the entire sporting landscape. Rachel Baillache, LinkedIn
Helen Rowbotham CEO Expand Helen joined Access Sport as our new Chief Executive in January 2022. She is passionate about making inclusion the norm in community sport and is also a Non-Executive Director and Trustee of the British Paralympic Association. Before joining Access Sport, Helen was Director of Innovation and then Director of Rowing Community and Strategy at British Rowing where she had a remit to support the rowing community, broaden the appeal of the sport and drive growth. This included leading British Rowing’s equality, diversity and inclusion work, as well as creating the Go Row Indoor programme, and forming Love Rowing, British Rowing’s new Charitable Foundation.Helen previously worked in sports management consultancy for 17 years including five years as Director of Consulting at CSM Strategic, where she led their major sporting projects work with a focus on strategic planning, innovation and organisational transformation. Her clients included the International Paralympic Committee, Commonwealth Games Federation, LOGOC, as well as multiple National Olympic Committees, cities, national sports agencies, and Sports Federations.In her spare time Helen enjoys running and cross fit and has two sports mad children so typically spends her weekends on the side of a pool, pitch, court or athletics track!
Hayley Barton Delivery and Impact Director Expand Hayley is Delivery and Impact Director at Access Sport, responsible for the charity's Changing Places and Changing Sports delivery programmes. She is passionate about creating equitable opportunities to access to sport and physical activity in local communities across the UK. Hayley leads Access Sport's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work, which is supported by Staff, Trustees and the Youth Board. Hayley completed a PhD in Sport Psychology and worked on several physical activity and childhood obesity research projects. Hayley is committed to using her previous research experience to ensure the collection of high-quality data that provides insight into getting more disadvantaged and disabled young people active in sport and physical activity. In her spare time, Hayley enjoys staying active, and is often found playing football, cycling and exploring the countryside with Indy, a regular Access Sport office dog.
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
Nia Rowlands Finance Director Expand Nia joined Access Sport in 2021 and is responsible for the sound financial management of the organisation, including financial reporting to senior leadership, to the Trustees, and to funders, as well as providing support and advice to all staff about budgeting and fundraising proposals. Nia’s background is predominately in public sector and charity finance, having spent 9 years as Head of Finance at The International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2 years in the Commercial Business Partnering team at Action for Children and 5 years at an NHS Trust. In her spare time, Nia enjoys looking after her garden wildlife haven, plus keeping fit on two wheels – mainly mountain biking and in recent years taking part in some BMXercise sessions.
Sue Wheeler Administration Director Expand Sue’s background is in sport from degree courses to working in Sports Marketing on the agency side representing sponsors and running large events for various corporates including drinks brands, insurance companies, newspapers.Sue has worked at Access Sport since it was founded by Charlie Beauchamp in 2006, having previously worked together in Sports Marketing.Her role at Access Sport over the years has covered all areas of the charity but Sue is now responsible for the charity’s operations and administration including HR, governance and financial management working with the Finance Director.In her spare time she enjoys playing golf, keeping fit, gardening and socialising with friends and family.
Tom Dixon Fundraising and Communications Director Expand Tom is Director of Fundraising and Communications. His role is to involve as many people and companies as possible in opportunities to fund vital, inclusive and transformational sporting programmes and to communicate the positive impact these have on the communities they serve. His goal is to increase our fundraising to match our growth ambitions and the scale of the need.Tom has 20 years' experience in charities, mainly focused on disability, inclusion and equality. He has worked across a range of fundraising and funding streams, most recently as Head of Fundraising and Communications at a disabled children’s healthcare charity.Tom's passion for sport comes as a keen runner, cyclist and cricketer and he coaches children and young people at grassroots clubs in athletics, cricket and climbing in his spare time. Tom’s claim to fame was holding the Guinness World Record for the fastest book character to run a half marathon… until Harry Potter pipped him to the post a year later!
Daniel Pell Expand Daniel brings over 20 years of experience in the technology sector, with deep expertise in acquisition integration, rapid business scaling, and people transformation. As General Manager for the UK & Ireland at Workday, he leads the region’s largest international team, driving customer success and business growth through a values-led and purpose-driven culture. Before joining Workday, he held senior leadership roles at Salesforce and Microsoft, delivering strategic impact across high-growth, innovative businesses. He is passionate about the role of business in contributing to society and is committed to supporting national upskilling as part of the future of work. As a trustee, Daniel contributes strategic leadership and insight across business transformation, organisational culture, and inclusive economic growth. A lifelong advocate for sport and its role in building strong, connected communities, Daniel is particularly passionate about creating opportunities for young people to thrive through inclusive, values-led programmes. Outside of work, he is a keen tennis player and enjoys the challenge and freedom of wing foiling.
David Ascott Expand David is a Chartered Accountant and MBA with over 30 years City experience in Private Equity and Corporate Finance. He was a Partner at Grant Thornton for almost 20 years where he was responsible for both leading over 50 Corporate deals and developing the talent and performance of the team. David also has extensive experience as a NED in Senior financial and governance roles in the Private Equity and Professional services environment. David is passionate about Sport and particularly the benefits it can bring to the lives of young people. He is the Treasurer Trustee for Access Sport and currently serves as a NED on the Board of Skateboard GB and a charity which helps refugees in Greece. “As a Charity Trustee there is nothing better than working for a cause that you passionately believe in alongside a talented group of colleagues where you feel you can make a contribution however big or small. That’s what Access Sport is to me … a home for my latent enthusiasm!"
AJ McMinn Community Coordinator, Manchester Expand AJ brings with her over 10 years of sports coaching experience. She began coaching Basketball as a young leader at 14 and from there her love of coaching grew. AJ began focusing on SEN coaching and found that creating new opportunities for disabled youth was where she found her main passion. During AJ’s BSc in Sports and Exercise Science, she was able to conduct two placements, one as an SEN PE student teacher and another as an Intern with a charity working with youth across Belfast developing their junior programming focusing on sport for change and conflict resolution. From then her career has focused on sports development and creating new opportunities for youth, ensuring that everyone has a chance to try a new sport or continue with the sport that they love. She is now completing her MSc in Sports and Exercise Nutrition, and her dissertation is focusing on women in sport, another one of her passions. In AJ’s spare time she enjoys watching Ice hockey, walking her dog, and playing golf. She also spends as much time as possible going to concerts, travelling and sometimes both with her partner. When she can, on her weekends off AJ likes to travel home to Belfast to see her family and friends.
Amy Baker Community Coordinator, Bristol Expand Amy is the Community Coordinator for the Changing Places team in Bristol. With many years of experience within sport, as both a coach and an elite athlete, she brings a wealth of understanding surrounding sports participation, social inclusion and the community needs within Bristol. As a recent University of Bath graduate, her studies extended her passion and advocation of exploring the sport gender-participation gap, as well as highlighting her keen interest in sport for development. Alongside her studies, Amy worked with the Bristol City Robins Foundation. During her time at the foundation, Amy consistently advocated for equitable opportunities for women and girls and helped to create and sustain many new sessions across Bristol - most importantly encouraging the inclusion of women and girls from ethnically diverse communities, understanding their personal participation barriers and using this to create accessible and inclusive spaces for all. In her spare time, Amy enjoys travelling, watching live sport and listening to sport podcasts.
Amy de Broise Corporate Partnerships Manager Expand In her role as Corporate Partnerships Manager, Amy focuses on building relationships with Access Sport’s supporters and bringing people closer to the charity’s work.As a corporate partnerships specialist, Amy has spent over 10 years developing purpose-driven partnerships between charities and organisations from a variety of industry sectors. She is passionate about creating partnerships that help companies meet their business objectives whilst also having a positive impact in the community.Amy is a qualified solicitor and her first experience of the charity sector was as a secondee to The Prince’s Trust from a city law firm. After returning to the world of law for a few years, Amy realised that her heart lay in the charity sector. She has been at Access Sport since 2019.In her spare time, Amy can be found surfing in Cornwall, researching ideas for holidays or trying to squeeze in a workout before her children wake up!
Andy James Senior Development Manager, Cycling Expand Andy is the Senior Development Manager for Access Sport’s Changing Sports cycling inclusion work. Andy’s role has a national remit, developing a network of inclusive cycling clubs across some of country’s most diverse and deprived neighbourhoods. Andy has a degree in Landscape Architecture and remains passionate about the role good design plays in shaping people’s behaviour. Before joining Access Sport, Andy led the growth of Ping! – a street table tennis project that took ping pong to parks and public spaces across the UK. In his spare time, Andy enjoys getting around by bike, goalkeeping and playing cricket. He runs a nomadic team called the Old Grumblers who play the game in beautiful places across the UK and overseas.
Ben Humphrey Senior Programme Development Leader, Changing Sports Expand Ben is our Changing Sports Senior Programme Development Leader, working directly with national governing bodies and other providers to develop, deliver and embed inclusive programmes which provide greater opportunities for children with a disability and young people to access and enjoy sport and physical activity.Ben joined Access Sport in 2022. Having completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Development, he worked for several years in local authority sport development and public health, achieving success in developing and managing inclusive sport, physical activity and health programmes. Ben has a passion for equality and positive social change using sport as a tool. In 2011, Ben founded Swindon Shock Wheelchair Basketball Club and is still involved in the running of the club today. Ben is a family man with two young children and in his spare time he enjoys playing 5 a side football, open water swimming (in the summer!) and cycling. Away from sport, Ben enjoys podcasts, live comedy, live music and getting away for family trips in his camper van.
Dhilan Expand Dhilan is a BMX coach for Access Sport, and this stems from a desire to help the younger generation. The opportunity to see progress being made drives Dhilan, as well as his own love of BMX. Most of his spare time is spent riding any sort of bike, and he is always training for BMX racing. "I am on the Youth Board for personal growth and development, and to help out within the community."