Power2Inspire is very fortunate to work with some extremely passionate and gifted individuals. And it is the way in which they come together as a team that ensures the charity has such a powerful impact on the communities it serves.
Power2Inspire has a small visionary team that runs the charity on a day to day basis alongside a group of committed and dynamic trustees from a wide range of backgrounds that are involved at all levels. If you’d like to meet them, read on…
Our Staff
John Willis
Born without fully formed arms and legs has never stopped John! A Cambridge University graduate he practised law for 12 years before redeveloping the village of Papworth Everard, being the chief executive of what was described as the largest social enterprise in the region. That led to consulting, leading Navigo CIC out of the NHS in Grimsby, and to chair of Provide CIC, a social enterprise providing £60m of services to the NHS.
Inspired by friend Tim Martin, John swam the relay leg of a non-disabled triathlon relay, and the funds raised sparked the creation of Power2Inspire.
John fulfilled his sporting desires in part by completing the Road2Rio challenge in 2016, taking part in all 34 Olympic and Paralympic sports. Read more about John’s story here.
Alex Laybourne
Alex has spent the last 15 years in sport, education and charity, initially through his BSc and MSc at Loughborough University, then in work there as Rugby Club and Coach Development Officer, including running outreach programmes in inner-city Leicester schools. He later moved into teaching as Head of Rugby, Deputy Head 6th Form, Head of Careers and PE/Games teacher at an independent school. Outside of his full-time career he has pursued a dual career in elite sport, formerly as Scotland Women’s Rugby U20s Head Coach and now as Sweden Men’s Head Coach and Director of Rugby for ‘The Lambs’. Further experiences in athlete mentoring, running his own business and sitting on the Loughborough Alumni Board allow Alex to bring a range of skills to Power2Inspire.
Alex is a passionate about his rugby, but also enjoys getting involved in a range of sports. He is Secretary at the local cricket club and completed the Marathon des Sables in 2012.
Bethany Haran
Bethany graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2023, where she studied Natural Sciences, specialising in psychology. Bethany loves netball, tennis, and skiing, and sports have always been a huge part of her life. However, after a few years of ill health and injury, which also affected her mental health, she reached out to Power2Inspire as Vice President of Fitzwilliam College Sports and Societies. She later organized the first Fitzwilliam College PowerHouse Games, as well as inclusive sports days and sports formals in collaboration with Power2Inspire. She is excited to continue working with the team and making sure “no one is left on the bench.”
Dan
Dan runs a small IT business in South Cambridgeshire assisting people with all aspects of digital technology.
Dan runs the Power2inspire website and helps the team in whatever he can from designing flyers to taking photos at the amazing PowerHouseGames and ensuring the team is working online as effectively as possible.
You can find out more about his business at hometechworks.co.uk
Giorgio Di Gioia
Giorgio will graduate in Business Management and Marketing from the University of Roehampton in 2024. In his early years, he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, leading to two heart surgeries. During his hospital stay, he developed a deep passion for Michael Jackson, inspiring a promise to himself: he would become a dancer. True to his commitment, he later performed for private events, theatres, and competitions, often securing top positions.
During his tenure as a social worker, he coached individuals with disabilities and mental health issues, serving as a role model. Giorgio believes that it is through inspiration that people can contribute to the well-being of society, thereby expanding knowledge and fostering inclusivity for future generations.
Bukola Adenike Alabi
Bukola received her degree in Public Administration from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 2015. She is currently enrolled in the University of Roehampton’s M.Sc. programme in project management.
Bringing a strong foundation in communication, organisation, and event planning to the team, Bukola is excited to join Power2Inspire as an Event Coordinator Intern. She is a highly motivated and meticulous individual with a knack for making ideas come to life. Bukola is passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion across various aspects of society and is eager to contribute to Power2Inspire’s mission of creating a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Board of Trustees
Jeremy Macklin
Jeremy spent 30 years working in the agricultural supplies business in regions as diverse as South America, Japan, France and more recently in the UK, and is currently involved with a consortium of agronomist companies who deliver advice to growers in North West Europe to produce arable crops. Alongside this Jeremy organises the annual rugby Varsity Matches between Women’s and Men’s teams from Oxford and Cambridge universities, which fits in with his passion for the sport which he played at a first-class level in the glorious days of amateur rugby.
Annabel Sykes
Annabel is a former partner in a Magic Circle Law Firm and specialises in financial services regulation, bringing with her a wealth of legal knowledge and understanding. She has been with Power2Inspire from the outset, becoming the first chair of the board, before passing the baton to Jeremy Macklin in 2019. She remains a member of the board, providing governance and company administrative support. Annabel “was the child who was always left on the bench” and so is committed to sporting inclusion.
Chris Grayson
Chris is the Head of Account Management at the leading Independent alcohol education charity Drinkaware. Chris has extensive experience in the charity sector building lasting and collaborative corporate partnerships at local, national and global level. Earlier in his career, Chris has been involved in organising events of various scales and worked with corporate partners at the London Olympics in 2012. Chris has a passion for sport and in particular Football, American Football and Running.
Richard Lightfoot
Richard is currently a primary school teacher where he is the lead teacher for physical education. He has been a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) for primary PE for 7 years and holds a range of coaching qualifications across multiple sports. His coaching and teaching career spans 17 years and has taken in grassroots and elite level performance. Richard has successfully undertaken a number of positions within the coaching and fitness industry; personal trainer, sports coach, secondary PE and primary teacher are the key roles fulfilled to date.
Laurence Harden
Laurence has been a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants since 2008 working in a diverse range of sectors and industries.
He has significant charity sector experience and has gained extensive knowledge in charity governance and reporting.
He is currently responsible for pricing and commercial finance and has had the opportunity to support the organisations charitable flagship activities and partnerships.
Outside of work Laurence has a passion for grassroots sports. This led to him becoming a qualified rugby coach and referee and spent a number of years coaching youth rugby at Harlequins Amateurs.
Gemma Thake
Gemma is a Partner at Price Bailey in Cambridge. She is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser specialising in corporate tax. Gemma advises companies and charities on a wide variety of tax matters.
Outside of work, Gemma is a keen amateur runner and has taken part in numerous races, including four London Marathons. She has also been part of Power2Inspire’s team running the Cambridge Half Marathon for the last few years.
Gemma has a young son and is passionate about promoting sporting opportunities for all backgrounds and abilities.
Mishern Chetty
Mishern is a finance professional with 15 years of experience spanning several industries and 13 countries. He was a Finance Business Partner and finance lead on diversity and inclusion for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team and recently completed his MBA at the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School as a Saïd Foundation Scholar. He is currently a Finance Senior Manager at Liberty Global.
Mishern was involved in a major car accident a little more than a decade ago, unsure whether he would walk again, or recover his memory. Fortunately, he was able to re-learn to walk, recover his memory and play rugby again (very poorly!) in 2022, for the first time since the accident.
Mishern first started playing rugby in 1994 in South Africa. As a result, he developed an acute and a personal appreciation of the power of sport to unite people and transform society. He is looking forward to promoting inclusion in sport via Power2Inspire.
Philip Bubb
An experienced PE and English teacher of over 15 years, Phil is currently Head of Academic PE and Head of Rugby at Ashford School, Kent. An experienced sports coach holding multiple NGB qualifications, Rugby has always been his specialism; he was the Chairman of Suffolk Schools Rugby Union for several years, and now coaches in Kent and the South-East for the Saracens RFC Academy Pathway.
A Loughborough University graduate, he has a love of all sports; skiing when he can and having played Football and Cricket at club level after hanging up his rugby boots. He has been a qualified Supervisor and Assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for over ten years, and also acts as a consultant and ambassador for Rezon, a pioneering company focused on innovative new research and technology to improve brain protection in sport.
Rebecca Condie
Bex is currently a Biology Teacher in Cheltenham. Alongside education, Bex has always had a passion for sport and making it inclusive and accessible for all. A former international hockey player, her playing career spans 15 years, having represented Scotland from U18. Bex has a younger disabled brother and is passionate about promoting opportunities for all.
Rebecca Foster MBE
Rebecca has worked in sport and education her entire life. Initially as a PE teacher in a secondary school and now as Principal Lecturer for Adapted Physical Education at the University of Worcester. Rebecca has volunteered in deaf sport for a number of years, using her experience as a heptathlete to coach and team-manage athletes. Rebecca is delighted to be part of the Power2Inspire team.
Stephen Peak
Stephen has spent over 35 years working in the accountancy world. Most of which have been at PEM, Cambridge’s largest independent firm. Stephen enjoys all sport, but is passionate about golf and road biking. He is also a governor at a leading independent school based in Cambridge. Cambridge born and bred, and proud of his city.
Tim Jones
Tim is a retired solicitor. He was formerly chair of inclusive sport charity Access Sport and was closely involved in the bid and preparation for London 2012. On retiring from his law firm Tim worked as general counsel for the organising committee of the Rugby World Cup in 2015. He is chair of the homelessness charity Connection at St Martins and is a trustee of other charities involved in healthcare, education and support for young people at risk of violence and exploitation.
Our Ambassadors
Rachel Morgan
“I am delighted to become a Power2Inspire ambassador! Sport is an incredible way of bringing communities together and can be truly inclusive. I look forward to working with you to inspire more people to get out there and see that disability should not be a barrier, that you can achieve what you want to.”
Michael Wade
“Holder of four Paralympic Weeks to date and already excited about the next one! As a Head Teacher I really understand the value of inclusion and the power of sport to teach resilience, perseverance, care, team-working and respect. Power2Inspire bring these values through their inclusive sports days in bucket loads! I am therefore truly delighted to become a Power2Inspire ambassador.”
Rosie Williams
“I’m excited to become an Ambassador for Power2inspire and be a part of the mission where everyone can take part in inclusive sport. I have a physical disability and I really want to motivate others, and show that you can succeed even if you or other people think that the odds are against you.”
Archie Eaton
“I think being a Power2Inspire ambassador is an amazing way to bring communities together under the banner of inclusive sports. I am really looking forward to the many events that I can be a part of! I hope to bring new ideas – as well as a very competitive atmosphere! – so that more people can enjoy a fun and inclusive environment.”
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
As an Ambassador
We are on the lookout for people to make a massive difference to the work of Power2Inspire by becoming a Charity Ambassador. Why might you want to do this?
- Make a real difference: play a key role in promoting inclusivity and making sports accessible to everyone.
- Build your network: connect with individuals, community leaders, top-flight sports clubs such as Middlesex Cricket Club and Leicester Tigers, and
companies/organisations from across the country. - Develop your skills: gain worthwhile experience in advocacy, event planning, fundraising, and public speaking
- Recognition: be acknowledged and highlighted for your contributions.
- Inspire others: use your experience and platforms to inspire
Click the button here to find out more and apply.
As a Fundraiser, Volunteer or Donor
If you would like to support us in our mission to “embed inclusive sport in the sporting, education and community landscapes” then we would love to hear from you. We are always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. Click the button here to find out more.
