Biographies
Chris Hespe - Kent County Council's Head of the Culture and Sport Group
Chris
leads Kent County Council`s work on sport and physical activity, the Olympics, arts and culture, country parks and the Kent Film Office.
He has worked for three district councils in sport and leisure, London Docklands Development Corporation, Sport England, central government and the British Olympic Association; and has been an advisor to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Local Government Association. Within Kent County Council, he has held positions outside the sport and leisure sphere, such as Organisational Change Manager and as Business Manager for the Kent Environment and Planning Agency and Project Director of Kent History Centre. He is Managing Director of Kent Institute of Sport, a Trustee of Kent Trust for Youth Sport and a member of the Kent and Medway Sports Board.
Chris holds Masters degrees in International Law and in Leisure Management, a degree in Sports Science and diplomas in management and sport and recreation. He is a Loughborough-trained teacher, a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a fellow of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity. He has been a member of the Quest Industry Board, which leads the UK quality scheme for the sport and leisure industry and is a Company Director and Trustee of the Institute for Sport, Parks and Leisure, on which he was the industry representative for local government in the UK and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Chris was the first leisure professional to be appointed to an urban
development corporation and the first County Director of Sport nationwide.
Chris founded the Kent Sports Development Unit and the Kent Campaign for
the 2012 Games, which he chairs. Chris represents the counties of the
South East on the Regional 2012 Partnership and is a member of the London
2012 Sports Legacy Commission.
Tel: 01622 605002 Email: chris.hespe@kent.gov.uk
Colleen Rawlings - Personal Assistant to Chris Hespe
Colleen
is PA to Chris Hespe - Kent County Council's Head of the Culture and Sport Group. In addition to carrying out her regular PA duties, she also
provides invaluable administrative support to other senior members of
the team.
Alongside the technical aspects of her role, Colleen is also the initial
point of contact for professionals and members of the County Council wishing
to access Chris Hespe.
Colleen is an extremely experienced PA who over the last fifteen years
has worked in a variety of private and public sector organisations, including
Bexley Hospital, Kent Fire Brigade, NHS and more latterly at Kent County
Council - even a stint at the BBC typing Terry Wogan’s scripts!
She is an extremely competent and highly qualified individual and is a
Member of the Institute of Qualified Administrators (IQA) . Colleen sees
herself as an eternal student and regularly updates her IT skills - most
recently a Pitman qualification in Excel Expert.
Outside of work, Colleen enjoys singing, cooking, nutrition, travelling, walking,
volunteering and raising funds for various charitable organisations and
keeping herself fit and active. She frequently attends the gym and has
achieved her level 1 Nordic Walking certificate, whilst at the same time
raising money for the British Heart Foundation.
Recent volunteering activities have included the Hilary Lister Event,
Pass the Passion Event and the Kent School Games.
Tel No: 01622 605706 Email: colleen.rawlings@kent.gov.uk
Kevin Day - Sport and Physical Activity Manager
Kevin
has worked in the Sports Development profession since 1987 and has been
at Kent Sport and Physical Activity Service since March 1999. His previous experience
includes working at both County level in Essex and at district level in
Wycombe, where amongst other things he was involved in developing opportunities
for young people, coaching development and assisting schools and other
organisations with lottery and other funding bids.
His current areas of responsibility include acting as the County Sports Partnership Director, line management of staff
involved in supporting Governing Bodies of Sport, performance and excellence
and participation, along with budgetary management and overseeing the
Service’s performance against national and local targets. In addition,
Kevin leads on the team’s involvement in the Quest continuous improvement
programme, which is the UK Quality Scheme for the Sport and Leisure industry.
In his spare time, like many parents he acts as a volunteer taxi driver
for his children who participate in football and drumming!.
Tel: 01622 605003
Email: kevin.day@kent.gov.uk
Mike Bishop - Access Manager
I
came into post in December 2002 with a personal background in disability
sport, having spent 20 years playing wheelchair Basketball, including
with a team, Capital City Jazz, who won the National Championships in
1991. My experience in wheelchair Basketball has included playing in a
European Championship and initiating and running several Kent based Clubs.
I have worked in a range of different roles, in the State and Voluntary sector for over 30 years, involved in Disability and other Equalities issues. My new role in Kent County Council is within the Culture and Sports Group, representing all Equalities strands (under the Equality Act 2010), across the Arts, Country Parks and Sport and Physical Activity Services.
Tel: 01732 525389 Email: mike.bishop@kent.gov.uk
Chris Metherell - Venues Development Manager
Other
than Chris Hespe, the Head of the Culture and Sport Group, Chris is
the only remaining original member of staff left from the Service’s
start in October 1991. He has consistently been one of the County’s
most prolific earners of external funding for sport facilities. In one
of his best years, he achieved over £20 million of external funding
for sports facilities in Kent.
Chris manages the development of Kent's Sports, Arts and Country Parks.
Previous to his current position, Chris worked for seventeen years in local authority sport and leisure management. He has a degree in the subject, and is a qualified coach in Squash, Badminton, Trampolining, Basketball, Volleyball and Handball (although some have now lapsed). In the early 70’s Chris played Rugby for both Bristol then Bath and was also a County Squash player.
Chris’ current job is to assist organisations, whether they be
public, private or voluntary to develop sports, arts and country park facilities in the County,
this involves providing help, assistance and guidance on strategic matters,
policy directions, design and construction, business planning, project
development and funding.
Before the 2012 Games, Chris became increasingly involved in the gearing up and establishment of Pre-Games Training Camps in Kent.
Tel: 01622 605004
Email: chris.metherell@kent.gov.uk
Stephanie Holt - Business and Partnership Development Manager
Working across the Culture and Sport Group (Sport & Physical Activity, Arts & Culture, and Country Parks), Stephanie's role is to support all three services generate additional income; secure and support further grants for the three service areas, and nurture and grow new and existing partnerships with one or more of the three service areas.
Stephanie joined Kent Sport at the beginning of 2006, when she became the Kent Manager for the 2012 Games, a highly successful campaign that was recognised by the Government as being 'outstanding'.
Following her History and International Politics degree at Lancaster University, and an early role in management for Whitbread, Stephanie worked for the Legal Services Commission, as a partnership manager with the private and public sectors, social enterprises, and the voluntary sector, to coordinate the delivery of comprehensive legal advice at all levels for members of the local communities in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Norfolk. Stephanie then joined local government to co-establish and co-run the Cabinet Support Office and structures at Essex County Council for three years.
Tel: 01622 605051
Email: stephanie.holt@kent.gov.uk
Chris Walker - Programmes Manager
Chris
is responsible for media and communications for the Service.
Chris has worked in the field of Sports Development for many years. He has an MA in Leisure and Tourism, a DMS in Management Studies for Leisure and a CMS also for Leisure. His MA and DMS dissertations included research into tourism as well as sports motivation.
He is interested in the way in which technology and social media can assist in the field of sport and active recreation. Chris web design technologies include CSS, xhtml, graphic design packages and dynamic languages including php, aspx and cfm.
Chris enjoys off-road Cycling, Swimming and a bit of Surfing when his daughters allow him time-off.
Tel: 01622 605053 Email: chris.walker@kent.gov.uk
Bianca Logronio - Coaching & Workforce Development Officer
Bianca
started her role as the Coaching Development Officer for the Kent Sport, Leisure & Olympics Service in October
2006, having previously worked in the same role for the Wiltshire and
Swindon Activity and Sports Partnership. Prior to that, Bianca worked
in various roles within the Lifestyle Development Team at Swindon Borough
Council for five years, primarily as the Sports Development Officer.
Bianca’s current role is to support partners in making coaching an attractive and accessible experience, and to increase the quantity and quality of coaching being delivered at all levels of sport within the county.
This involves providing advice and guidance in the employment and deployment of coaches; identifying and promoting resources and support mechanisms for coaches; and co-ordinating a programme of education, training and development for people delivering sport.
Bianca also manages the Community Sports Coach Scheme in Kent, and is the lead officer for the Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport.
Tel: 01622 605010
Email: bianca.logronio@kent.gov.uk
Elise Rendall - Sport and Physical Activity Officer
Elise
joined the Kent Sport and Physical Activity Service in 2007, having previously been
a local authority Sports Development Officer since 2001.
Elise's current role is to develop sport and physical activity in Kent and involves leading on a number of specific areas of activity including Performance & Excellence, and Participation with a particular emphasis on equalities work and links to health agencies and initiatives.
Projects and programmes include developing services to support talented
performers, developing links and working in partnership with health agencies
and equality groups. Elise is the lead officer for the work towards the
Equality Standard: A Framework for Sport.
Tel: 01622 605038
Email: elise.rendall@kent.gov.uk
Sheena Pitchford - Governing Body Support Manager
Sheena joined Kent Sport and Physical Activity Service in 2004 having been a Sports Development Officer for the London Borough of Bromley since 2000.
Her role in the team is to communicate with and support Governing Bodies of Sport to develop and implement their plans within the county. Key areas of work include being the lead contact for National and County Governing Bodies, supporting them to access services through the department and develop links with a range of local partners. She supports NGB Development Officers through co-ordination of forums, helping to secure funding and by understanding their plans and priorities, play a 'critical friend' role for them.
Sheena has line management responsibility for the Workforce Development Officer, Leadership & Coaching Development Officer, Club & Volunteer Development Officer and a number of the Sports Specific Development Officers. Sheena is also the team's Deputy Child Welfare Officer.
Tel: 01622 605069
Email: sheena.pitchford@kent.gov.uk
Guthrie Miller - Club and Volunteer Development Officer
Guthrie
has worked at the Kent Sport, Leisure & Olympics Service since May 2003 when he
was originally employed as the Active Sports Hockey and Press Co-ordinator.
He has been in his current post since November 2006.
The role of the Club and Volunteer Development Officer is to help sports clubs be better sports clubs. Guthrie is therefore the principal contact for links with Volunteering and initiatives such as Clubmark, Club Support Funding and the Kent Club Connect Card.
Hockey is his primary sport but he is also a keen Cricketer come the summer months.
Tel: 01622 605338
Email: guthrie.miller@kent.gov.uk
Stuart Butler – Coaching and Leadership Development Officer
Stuart started at the Kent Sport and Physical Activity Service as Sports Leadership Coordinator in 2006, having previously worked for Staffordshire University Students’ Union, the Union of Brunel Students and the Guardian Media Group.
In 2010 Stuart took on the responsibility of managing the Sport:ed programme which provides opportunities for coaches, teachers and others to develop and expand their knowledge and skills though a variety of workshops and programmes which are relevant to all sports. Stuart also oversees the Coach & Official Scholarship fund which supports coaches and officials nominated by clubs, organisations or National Governing Bodies to undertake training that will enhance coaching and officiating within the County.
In 2011 Stuart took on the coordination of the Sport Makers programme within the county. This national programme, part of the legacy of London 2012, is funded by The National Lottery and seeks to recruit, train and deploy those aged 16+ to help support and organise others thus increasing adult participation.
Tel: 01622 605065
Email: stuart.butler@kent.gov.uk
Louisa Arnold - Kent Coaching Network Officer
Louisa joined Kent Sport in January 2010 as the Coaching Network Officer, based at the University of Kent, Canterbury she covers the county supporting the development of coaching across all sports.
Having previously worked with 3 Local Authorities in the South East and a School Sports Partnership in South West London she understands the challenges of supporting coaches in a range of environments.
As lead for Coaching in Kent, Louisa is responsible for developing the annual coaching plan, maintaining the database, communicating with coaches and supporting partners to recruit, develop and retain their coaches.
Tel: 01227 824395
Email: l.arnold@kent.ac.uk
Andrea Murphy - Business Development Manager
Andrea joined the Kent Sport and Physical Activity Service in September 2006, having previously worked for a management consultants specialising in sport and leisure. This role involved Andrea managing a range of funding, research, feasibility and sports development projects and she was also responsible for monitoring and evaluating lottery funded schemes.
Andrea’s current responsibilities include managing and co-ordinating the Sportivate funding programme to develop opportunities for 14-25 year olds in community sport. Circa £400,000 is available for Sportivate programmes in Kent from 2013-2015.
Andrea also co-ordinates other externally funded programmes relating to children and young people and advises on other potential revenue funding opportunities, including Sport England lottery funding. This includes providing sports organisations with direct assistance on funding applications where required.
Tel: 01622 605064
Email: andrea.murphy@kent.gov.uk
Natalie Harris - Culture and Sports Events Officer
Natalie
Harris joined the team in September 2007 as Kent County Council's Kent
School Games Co-ordinator, responsible for the implementation of a successful
biennial Kent School Games in 2008 and 2010 and associated school sports
events and to ensure that the Kent School Games link to and support an
emerging framework for competitive school sport at county, district and
local level.
Natalie has a degree in the Sociology of Sport and Leisure with PE and over four years experience of working in Sports Development. Previously Natalie had worked with the Sports, Play and Youth Development Team at Maidstone Borough Council, working her way up from Sports, Administration and Finance Assistant, through to the Sports and Play Development Officer before commencing her role with Kent County Council.
A club Golfer and league Netball player Natalie's passion for sport extends further than just the workplace through both participating and volunteering.
Tel: 01622 605440
Email: natalie.harris@kent.gov.uk
Russell Fairman - Research and Communications Officer
Russell
joined the Kent Sport and Physical Activity Service after 10 years of providing sporting, events and training
opportunities for young people within the voluntary and public sector
at local, regional and national level.
Russell's current role includes supporting the establishment and development of Community Sports Networks in each district of Kent. Community Sports Networks aim to bring together local organisations from the public, private and voluntary sector who share an interest in sport. They form a vital part of Sport England's Delivery System for Sport. Russell will also be providing a research and analysis function for the Unit, including interpreting the 'sport data jigsaw' (i.e. Active People, Active Places, etc.) for local partners.
Tel: 01622 605058
Email: russell.fairman@kent.gov.uk
