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Election Address to the Members of the Alliance:
Having held various volunteer, strategic and advisory roles I’m ready for a new and stimulating opportunity and this is a good fit.
Sports and recreation have featured significantly throughout my life and sports coaching completely changed my tack. I’ve experienced sports and recreations from numerous angles including:
Outside of sport I’ve significant experience in engineering, membership development and personal coaching and mentoring.
The diversity of my skillset and interests includes membership of the British Association of Snowsports Instructors, British Model Flying Association, Snowsport England and UK Coaching.
I recognise that the Alliance represents an even greater diversity of members and look forward to supporting you in the vital roles of your organisation including independent voice, advocacy and expert services.
I’m sure I’ll have lots to learn and that should be part of the fun!
Skills and Experience:
Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, partly through demonstrating outcomes of pro-bono work for a National Governing Body (NGB).
Extensive experience of working with the CEO and Board of an NGB whilst chairing expert panels. I led Coaching Technical Panel to be the “guardians” of coaching and go-to source of expert advice to the organisation. This included initiating and driving the creation of a new Coaching Strategy and a fundamental review of the needs for coaching roles within our sport, generating significant volunteer input whilst challenging norms and groupthink.
Commitment to evidence-based approaches to decision making and strategy, I have supported staff in creating annual plans.
I improved the diversity of a panel that I chaired and championed research into the needs of disabled people in accessing our sport. I’ve supported the organisation in meetings with external stakeholders and partner organisations, contributing to funding bids and chairing national forums.
As volunteer Head Coach and committee member of an adaptive ski club I am familiar with club governance, NGB and Sport England requirements and created innovative volunteer training systems. Enabler for neurodiverse people to enter the world of coaching. Advocate for disability sport including insight gathering, NGB funding bids and chairing national forums.
Curious coach, actively engaged in communities of practice, with awards for Coach Developer and Disability coaching. I’m always learning and seeking out Continuing Professional Development.
Former General Manager and Head of Ski School of a ski centre employing up to 70 staff with diverse backgrounds. Created the business case to reconstruct following a landslide.
Highlights include:
I led the British Ski Slope Operators Association to its highest membership levels and engaged with other organisations to promote snowsports and UK facilities.
I’m a qualified ski instructor and coach with the highest international licenses. I have represented the NGB at national and international events, including presenting keynote and workshops at coaching conferences.
Experienced coach specialising in personal coaching, mentoring schemes and qualifications mentoring within civil engineering and sport. As an expert in my field I prepare reports and opinion for the legal profession and Courts in accordance with the Civil Procedure Rules.
Please set out how you will balance the commitment of being a Board member of the Alliance with your current role:
I’m self-employed, in charge of my diary and able to dedicate the time.
What do you think may be the next big challenges affecting the sport and recreation sector in the next three years? And what role do you think the Alliance should be playing?
Planning reform and the potential threats to places and spaces for sport and recreation. My engineering background should be useful to the Alliance in its various roles.
Volunteer diversity and numbers: it’s getting harder to attract volunteers and their costs are increasing as the sector becomes more regulated and “professionalised”. We need to find ways of optimising volunteer opportunities, taking account of their competencies through lived experience whilst managing risk proportionately.
The cost of living and related impacts on attitudes and wherewithal to participation. I experienced several cycles of this when running the ski centre and what I called the living/experiences ratio.
The economy and sports funding cycles from central government and other agencies. Together they have potential to change emphases, or reduce financial support, for sport and recreation and impact NGBs, clubs and other organisations.
Energy costs and other price inflation that impact so greatly on businesses.
To augment the Alliance’s mission I’m interested to explore the role of its own research, or compendium of other research outputs, to supports and strengthen its advocacy and reputation when representing its diverse constituent membership. I look forward to playing my part.
Election Address to the Members of the Alliance
Dear fellow SRA members,
I am standing for the Elected Director role, driven by a passion for the transformative power of sport and how physical activity enhances wellbeing. I am keen to champion the SRA’s vision to be at the heart of a thriving sector, creating inclusive communities where everyone, regardless of background or experience, feels supported to take part.
I have always loved all types of sport; athletics, swimming and lacrosse, hiking, snowboarding to name a few and, having nurtured a love of sport in my teenage children, I get to support them (meaning drive them around!) for their current passions: football and basketball. The SRA has such a brilliant range of members and activities represented that I’d love to discover and champion; for me the point is that everyone has the chance to participate in something they love.
Diversity and inclusion have been central to my work at the Association of British Climbing Walls (ABC). I have been able to tangibly shift the dial; supporting members to make their facilities more inclusive and accessible, improving representation in comms and events as well as the diversity of our own board, and we’ll soon be launching new BSL signs for climbing specific terms. While we’ve made significant progress, there is still more to be done.
If elected, I will bring the same commitment, vision, and strategic focus to the SRA. Together, we can build a sector that is diverse, welcoming, and supportive of all.
Thanks for your support.
Skills and Experience:
As CEO of the Association of British Climbing Walls (ABC), a membership organisation, I lead initiatives that closely align with the SRA’s mission of providing expert services, guidance, and advocacy to ensure people from all backgrounds can participate in sport - in our case, indoor climbing. I truly understand the importance of designing and delivering services that meet the needs of a diverse membership, while fostering unity within the sector. Throughout my leadership, I have effectively bridged strategy and operations to drive our mission forward; growing organisational income, staffing and membership over my five years in post.
Development & Implementation of Organisational Strategy: I developed and championed the ABC's mission to promote professionalism, safety, growth, and diversity within indoor climbing through key initiatives such as a national climbing wall accreditation scheme, industry-standard safety guidelines, a national accident reporting system, and an internationally regarded and well attended annual conference.
Leading Equality Diversity & Inclusion Efforts: EDI and safeguarding have been integral to my leadership. I’ve driven meaningful change in attitudes and successfully secured funding for focused EDI staff and work. Under my leadership, we have improved access for disabled climbers, increased representation on the ABC’s board and staff team, and enhanced diversity in industry communications and at the ABC conference.
Engaging the Community: I led efforts to enhance the member experience, resulting in a significant boost in retention during my tenure. Additionally, I expanded the ABC’s conference, increasing attendance by 30%, enhancing the quality of speakers, and attracting more exhibitors to the trade show, solidifying its position as the cornerstone event for the indoor climbing industry.
Building Strong Relationships: I have cultivated strong partnerships across the adventure sports sector, helping the ABC secure funding as a Sport England partner and fostering collaboration with other key sector organisations.
Before transitioning into the sports sector, I spent several years in brand and marketing strategy, working with high-profile brands such as The Sunday Times, BBC, Nissan, and Vodafone. This experience continues to inform my creative and strategic approach to all aspects of my work. I am excited about the opportunity to shape and implement a bold vision for the future of the SRA, while recognising the importance of consultation and diverse perspectives in the development of strategy. I look forward to engaging with SRA members and drawing on the richness and diversity of our sector to build a stronger future together.
Please set out how you will balance the commitment of being a Board member of the Alliance with your current role:
I have the full support of my board in pursuing this position, and I am confident that my experience running a membership organisation will enable me to contribute effectively to the SRA board. I am committed to ensuring indoor climbing is connected to the wider sporting sector, fostering valuable insights and collaboration in both directions. With a strong passion for supporting the sports sector, I bring energy and enthusiasm to everything I do. I am eager to use this drive to support the SRA in achieving its vision, balancing both roles with focus and dedication.
What do you think may be the next big challenges affecting the sport and recreation sector in the next three years? And what role do you think the Alliance should be playing?
Financial Pressure: Both national and personal finances are stretched, often leaving sport and leisure as low-priority expenses. But as the SRA’s recent open letter on PIP payments highlighted, reducing investment in these areas now will have long-term health and economic consequences. By collaborating through the SRA and our organisations, we can find efficiencies and keep people active.
Post-COVID Adjustments: The indoor climbing sector, like many others, is still recovering from the pandemic. Pre-COVID routines that incorporated exercise, such as lunchtime gym sessions or cycling to work, haven’t always been replaced by new active habits. The SRA’s research can evidence the value of sport and recreation to drive home the importance of integrating physical activity back into people’s lives. A social football game, netball match, or climb could be a perfect antidote to the isolation of remote working.
Equality of Opportunity: After years in the sector, it’s disheartening to see persistent inequalities in participation, especially around disability, economic deprivation, and gender. Facility closures due to financial pressures, like the loss of swimming access, exacerbate this. Together can we champion grassroots sport and recreation and influence policy keep the system accessible to all.
By working together through the SRA, combining our voice to be heard by the government, policy makers and the media, we can find solutions to support the health of the sector and keep people active.
In the below video, Kath answers the following questions: What do you think may be the next big challenges affecting the sport and recreation sector in the next three years? And what role do you think the Alliance should be playing?
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