Our Trustees

Sport in Mind is a registered charity (1161323) formed in 2010 and governed by our constitution (amended Aug 2018).

The charity's Board of Trustees are responsible for our governance and strategic direction. The Board is accountable for everything we do, including setting our strategic direction, scrutinising our performance and supporting the charity's Chief Executive.

Election and re-election of Trustees is carried out by approval by the Board of Trustees, with the Chief Executive being consulted regarding all appointments. Since our inception we have always prided ourselves on having a board that reflects our diverse communities and has people with personal experience of mental health problems represented on the board.

Paul McAdam (Chair)

Paul is well known in the UK IT industry as Director of Software Risk Specialists, Source Code Control, but also for his roles at Microsoft. Paul was the Chief of Staff at Microsoft UK preceded by leading the SAM engagement team for 4 years. He was involved in the creation of key initiatives such as settlement with cloud as well as earlier versions of ISO 19770 and the Microsoft Licensing exams. Prior to Microsoft, he was an IT infrastructure manager at AstraZeneca in the UK and for 2 years in the US.

Paul joined Sport in Mind as a trustee in December 2017 and became chair in 2018, overseeing the rapid expansion of the charity.

Paul is a keen tennis player and cyclist.

Ros Crowder

Ros became a Sport in Mind trustee in 2018 after a career spent in the NHS spanning nursing and management across hospitals, community and regional strategic roles. Before retirement, Ros' last role in the National Health Service was as Deputy Director of Revalidation. She has a keen interest in mental health due to family experience and a longstanding understanding of the beneficial impact of sport and physical activity on mental, physical and social health.

Ros’ sporting interests include rowing and other water sports, badminton, skiing and walking (with a very energetic border collie!)

Graham Bednash

Featured in Campaign’s ‘Top 100 Marketers’, Graham is a marketing leader with a track record for innovation and creativity whose career has spanned strategy, media and tech. During his 8 years as Director of Marketing at Google, he helped them become one of the most loved brands in the UK and EMEA winning multiple awards including ‘Cannes Creative Marketer of the Year’.

In 2021, he joined Abcam, the global Life Science brand where he led their new brand repositioning, creative strategy, PR and social content approach.

Graham founded Unstuck in 2024, a marketing company that helps brands find clarity and impact across all their comms, based on the expertise learnt from Google.

Graham is happiest when he’s running or cycling.

Andy Holland

Andy has over 20 years’ experience working in fundraising across the charity sector, delivering income growth, supporter engagement and strategic development. He has held senior roles with national and regional charities including Make-A-Wish UK and The Felix Project, and is currently Director of Fundraising at Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

A lifelong sports enthusiast, Andy is especially passionate about staying active and can often be found out running or on the golf course. He also loves taking part in challenge events for charity — pushing himself physically. His personal challenges have included skydiving, trekking the Great Wall of China, cycling London to Brighton, rowing the English Channel and competing in a wide variety of running events. Most recently, he took part in Endure 24 in support of Sport in Mind.

Andy brings to the trustee board a blend of fundraising expertise, strategic leadership and firsthand experience of the positive impact that sport and physical challenge can have on wellbeing.

Derek Peaple

Derek was a Sports College Headteacher for 20 years, where his ‘values-led’ approach to leadership led to shortlisting as The Times Educational Supplement’s national Headteacher of the Year. It was in this context that he was first inspired by Sport in Mind’s proactive work with young people and has subsequently loved his role in support of the Charity’s rapidly developing education programmes. Derek now leads his own education consultancy company and also enjoys increased time dedicated to the voluntary sector through roles with a number of charities, a commitment recently recognised by The Charity Times’ 2025 National Chair of the Year Award.

Running has been Derek’s personal sporting passion since he joined Reading Athletic Club in 1978, and has just ‘celebrated’ his 60th Birthday by running a sixty-mile ultramarathon!

Keran Sangha

Keran is a commercial Lawyer who has worked in a range of global industries. Keran joined Sport in Mind as a Trustee in March 2025 and is a passionate advocate for physical health and wellbeing. Keran embraces sport not only as a way to stay active, but as a powerful tool for building resilience, discipline, focus and determination.

Keran enjoys being active and in particular is a regular runner.

Rachel Davies

Rachel started her career in sport, working initially as an exercise physiologist for the British Olympic Association, before transitioning into Performance Lifestyle Support, advising elite athletes in a range of sports on their career transitions with the English Institute of Sport, TASS and the LTA. She then decided to start her own business, and ran a successful baby & toddler swimming franchise in Surrey for 7 years.

During the covid pandemic she decided to pivot, and started working for Peridot Partners, (a search firm, specialising in leadership recruitment for socially focused organisations). She is now a Managing Consultant in the Not-for-Profit Practice and her main focus is board and executive recruitment in health and social care, mental health and child/family focused charities. She is also the Health & Wellbeing lead at Peridot.

She is a competitive Masters Swimmer and Synchronised Swimmer and enjoys cycling and bike packing, hiking and the odd triathlon.

Gavin Newby

Gavin has over 20 years’ experience as a finance professional within the NHS, including 15 years supporting mental health services across Berkshire and Surrey and involvement with NHS charities connected to the Trusts where he has been employed.

Currently he works at Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Trust as Deputy Chief Financial Officer.

Gavin is a keen participant over the Marathon and Half marathon distances, has completed triathlons up to and including the Ironman distance, as well as completing in some of the countries toughest obstacle courses. He also holds a 2nd degree black belt in Taekwondo and is a keen sport climber

Helen Wannell

Helen became a trustee of Sport in Mind in 2024 and brings extensive experience in Human Resources, leadership and organisational development. She served for many years in the RAF, has worked in the private sector, and is now Director of a coaching consultancy. Throughout her career, Helen has maintained a strong interest in supporting individuals facing mental health challenges and been involved in many initiatives that promote wellbeing through positive, inclusive activities.

A lifelong sports enthusiast, Helen is always up for trying something new. She has rowed for the RAF, competed at Henley Women’s Regatta and won awards in cross-country skiing. She now regularly runs, cycles and enjoys long walks in the countryside. Helen is also a qualified wine specialist and enjoys running tasting events that bring people together