WESPORT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Project Manager ( Social Prescribing )
Andy Blackmore- Senior Project Manager Sport/ Activity of choice: Rugby Your role at Wesport: Having fun, chatting to people, making tea & coffee... As well as leading our team's work with Children & Young People! Like: Beans on toast with HP sauce Dislike: Doughnuts with not enough jam.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Head of Money and Debt Operations at the Money
- Trustee for Bristol Autism Support
Anna is Head of money and debt operations at the Money and Pensions Service (an arm's-length body of the DWP) and responsible for the commissioning and delivery of debt advice services across England. Prior to that, she worked for national Citizens Advice for many years in roles focused on advice service delivery, business and partnership development and innovation.
Anna came late to physical activity, being one of many girls and young women that give up sport in their teens. Feeling an unfit mum, she did couch to 5k, discovered parkrun and this has led to her taking part in many new activities over the last few years. She also has an autistic son who has experienced multiple barriers in taking part in sport. These things have meant Anna developed a passion for inclusive sport and promoting the benefits of supporting people to get moving. This motivated her to become a trustee for Wesport.
Anna is also a trustee for Bristol Autism Support and volunteers at parkrun.
Job Titles:
- Project Officer ( Community )
Caleb Thomas- Project Officer (Community) Sport/ Activity of choice: Football and Golf Your role at Wesport: I am responsible for supporting community projects and clubs to engage people in physical activity and sporting opportunities within their local areas. Like: Cheese and basically any sport (not usually at the same time) Dislike: People who don't do their fair share
Job Titles:
- Project Officer ( Children and Young People )
Chris Knight - Project Officer (Children and Young People) Sport/ Activity of choice: Athletics and Swimming Your role at Wesport: I am responsible for developing physical activity and sporting opportunities for children and young people in education and the community. Like: Fantasy Football Dislike: being woken up early on the weekend
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chairman of the Board of Trustees
- Senior Manager at Law Firm RPC
Guy Buckland is a Senior Manager at law firm RPC, and delivers learning and talent development to senior leaders as well as organisation design to help deliver performance improvements to the business as a whole. After a management career in financial services, Guy has worked in training and development roles since 2001, in both the FS and Legal sector.
Guy is an enthusiastic participant in sport, and has played many different sports, such as football, squash, swimming and cycling, over the years, and knows how many physical, emotional and social benefits that sport can bring to people in all settings. He also enjoys exploring his local neighbourhood on foot, as well as occasionally venturing to London to support his beloved West Ham United.
As a keen amateur cyclist, Guy is also an advocate of active travel, and regularly commutes by bike to work in Bristol from his home in North Somerset. He is keen to see easier and more effective infrastructure in our area, to allow more people to actively travel to school and work.
Sport/ Activity of choice: Orienteering, Hockey, Running
Your role at Wesport: I am responsible for all of the organisations finances.
Like: A long run on a sunny day!
Dislike: Being stuck indoors
Job Titles:
- Assistant Administrator
- Marketing Officer
Job Titles:
- Administration Officer
- Assistant
Katie Millar- Assistant Administration Officer Sport/ Activity of choice: Tennis Your role at Wesport: I am responsible for the administration tasks of the Parks tennis programmes and supporting the administration of different projects across the team. Like: Bagels Dislike: Coffee
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Administration Officer
Laura Rudland- Marketing and Administration Officer Sport/ Activity of choice: Netball Your role at Wesport: I am responsible for the Marketing and social media as well as assisting with Administrative tasks. Like: Going on holiday/visiting new places Dislike: Rainy days
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager ( Health and Physical Activity )
- Senior Manager - Health & Activity
Lisa Wood- Senior Manager- Health & Activity Sport/ Activity of choice: Cycling and walking Your role at Wesport: I keep abreast of the Health & Wellbeing landscape and look for opportunities where physical activity can have a true impact. Like: Skiing on fresh powder in the sunshine! Dislike: Middle lane hoggers!
Job Titles:
- Project Manager ( Children & Young People )
- Project Officer ( Youth Sport )
Nicole Emmanuel- Project Manager (Children & Young People) Sport/ Activity of choice: Walk in the countryside Your role at Wesport: Supporting physical activity and sporting opportunities for children and young people. Like: any creative projects! Dislike: being away from nature too long
Job Titles:
- Business Performance and Finance Officer
Nikki Stephens- Business Performance & Finance Officer Sport/ Activity of choice: Tea drinking. And spin class Your role at Wesport: All of the behind the scenes elements that keep the organisation running: finance, governance, HR, office management, safeguarding, marketing and performance management! Like: cats, purple things, sleeping, tea Dislike: people?!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chief Executive of Decipher Impact
- Coach at Westbury Harriers
- Non - Executive Director at the Castle School Education Trust
Paul is the chief executive of Decipher Impact, a social enterprise focused on delivering evidence-based public-health products and services. Prior to that Paul was the founder of the Together Social Business Group which creates full-time jobs for ex-offenders and is based in Bristol, Birmingham and Glasgow.
Paul is a non-executive director at the Castle School Education Trust, a multi-academy trust that runs seven schools in the Bristol and South Gloucestershire area. He is also a trustee of the Sir Halley Stewart Trust. Until last year he was a non-executive director of the Restore Trust and an advisor to the regional School of Social Entrepreneurs.
Paul is a volunteer coach at Westbury Harriers, and organises a running club at his childrens' primary school. Most of his weekends are spent being a taxi-driver taking his children to various netball, football and running events. He is keen to support Wesport in ensuring that such a wide-range of sporting opportunities are available to as many people as possible in our region.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Project Manager ( Bristol Parks Tennis & Workforce )
Richard Colman- Project Manager (Bristol Parks Tennis & Workforce) Sport/ Activity of choice: Squash, tennis, football Your role at Wesport: I manage the Parks Tennis programme in Bristol and also the development of the sport and physical activity workforce across the West of England. Like: making and growing things Dislike: tidying up after my kids!
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Project Manager ( Community Sport )
Ruth Glanvill- Project Manager (Community Sport) Sport/ Activity of choice: Plodding aka running slightly faster than walking Your role at Wesport: I am project manager for all things Community Sport; supporting local projects to reach inactive young people, including the Satellite Club programme. Like: I like getting out of the office to visit projects that we support Dislike: I don't like not being able to make time to be active
Job Titles:
- Senior Project Manager
- Senior Project Manager - Ageing Well
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Project Manager - Workforce & Insight
Sarah Casselden- Project Manager- Workforce & Insight Sport/ Activity of choice: Boxfit Your role at Wesport: I am a project manager working on Workforce Development, Coach Core and Data & Insight. Like: family time Dislike: marmite
Sarah McLeod- Project Manager Sport/ Activity of choice: Pilates Your role at Wesport: I am a project manager currently working on our Workforce Innovation project with refugees and asylum seekers, alongside our Parks Tennis Project. Like: I love going on holiday with my family, especially somewhere sunny! Dislike:I dislike Brussel sprouts!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Specialist
Simon is a specialist in communication, engagement and policy. Either working in-house or running the consultancy he founded he has supported very different organisations - including large businesses, a national trade organisation, the governing body for a disability sport, third sector organisations and a leading university.
Married with two adult sons, Simon is keenly interested in current affairs and is a big fan of most sports. An unremarkable playing career is now largely replaced by coaching football and an active involvement in a grassroots club.
Like the other Trustees and the team at Wesport, he is convinced of the positive impact sport and physical activity can have on participants, coaches and on the administrators and volunteers that make it happen. Simon is also a Board Trustee of Sight Support West of England - a charity that works with people living with sight loss so that they can lead active and fulfilled lives.
Steve Nelson- CEO Sport/ Activity of choice: Basketball Your role at Wesport: I have overall responsibility for Wesport's plan, achievements and working practices. I lead our work to influence organisations at all levels to recognise and use the power of sport and physical activity. Like: The days I get to see our team's activities. Dislike: Blue cheese!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Vice - Chair of the Board of Trustees
Sue has lived in North Somerset all her life. She trained in Birmingham as a PE teacher and taught at Chew Stoke Primary School for a few years. Whilst her children were growing up, she taught primary school, mums, babes, and adult swimming at Churchill Pool.
Sue has been involved in swimming as a volunteer for almost 40 years. She has held various roles within the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) at Club, County, Region and National level on committees and as an official and is currently Chairman of Weston-super-Mare Swimming Club and President of the ASA South West Region. From 2005 until 2013, she chaired the ASA South West Regional Management Board. During this time, the Board supported the work of the ASA's Regional staff team in their work across the South West with various sporting providers including County Sport Partnerships (CSP's).
Sue wanted to become a trustee of Wesport as sport has always played a key part in of her life. Over the years, she has found it incredible to watch how sport has developed and widened its remit. She feels it is important that all involved with sport and recreational activity should seek opportunities to work together so that more people of all abilities are able to participate, gain confidence and experience the ‘thrill' of achieving their goals.
Job Titles:
- Independent Consultant
- Member of the Board
- Fadel
Tabinda is a qualified Clinical Cardiac Physiologist, worked in Bristol and southwest throughout her 30year clinical practice both in acute clinical care and as head of department within a large teaching trust.
Since 2015, Tabinda has worked as an independent consultant supporting commissioners and providers, with strategic and operational assignments. She also supports the local council with vulnerable population groups, with health workshops and 1:1 support and coaching for complex health issues.
Tabinda holds a number of voluntary roles, she is a long standing school Governor for the Merchants Venturers Academy Trust in Bristol, and also supports Bristol Water as their health lead on their customer challenge Group.
Tabinda enjoys boxing and supports a women's only boxing group within Bristol, she has been able to use sport to rebuild confidence and positive mental well-being as well as physical health for women who have been victims of abuse or experience difficulties through vulnerability.
Tabinda has joined Wesport as she believes in supporting communities to benefit from all aspects of sport, social interaction, mental well- being and good physical health, improving their lifestyles by being more active.
Will has spent most of his career working in and around Sport, taking him to his current role as Chief Executive of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, based out of Bristol. A focus on charitable partnerships, community support and environmental sustainability are key strands of the Gloucestershire Cricket strategy alongside the development and delivery of professional cricket. The Bristol County Ground also serves as one of the leading International sports venues in the South West.
Previously Will has worked with organisations such as Sporting Index, Cricinfo, The Lawn Tennis Association and, prior to joining Gloucestershire Cricket, Betfair where he oversaw a £200m+ UK & Ireland P&L.
Will has a passion for all things sport and firmly believes in the "power of sport" from grass roots through to the professional game and the good that it can and should drive. Will is a lifelong Gloucestershire Cricket and Bath rugby fan and is married with three boisterous boys with a home in Bath.