The Active Code: Recent Episodes

Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson

Through this podcast series, Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson from Aspire Active Partnerships aim to discover The Active Code. What is takes to be a successful leader and leading organisations towards combatting inactivity to help more children, be more active, more often. We are not alone through this journey – we are joined by business owners and leaders from in and outside of the sports coaching and children's activity sector who share what physical activity means to them, how they lead their organisation to achieve their company mission, and what they believe is The Active Code.

Who is our guest?

Matt Nowell is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in people management, including roles at EY People Consulting and IBM Consulting. With a deep-rooted passion for sports and its profound impact on leadership and teamwork, Matt has combined his love for physical activity with extensive corporate expertise to foster growth and connection in organisations. His keen interest in behavioural science, understanding how people think, act, and work, has been central to his career trajectory, influencing the way he approaches leadership and organisational challenges.

Having witnessed firsthand how organisations often struggle to bridge strategy with reality, Matt has been a pivotal figure in promoting wellness, collaboration, and effective communication. Currently, at StoryLabs Creative, Matt partners with HR and business leaders to rethink work from the ground up. Using design thinking, storytelling, and operational innovation, he equips organisations with the tools to tackle real challenges, whether it’s improving collaboration, fixing broken ways of working or designing experiences that drive actionable business outcomes.

What do we discuss?

The importance of collaboration in sports
Challenges in managing people
The role of well-being in leadership
Engaging remote workers
The impact of technology on leadership
AI and the future of work
Physical activity and the younger generation
The importance of measuring progress
Generational gaps in the workplace
Evolving leadership development
Redefining employee experience
Measuring outcomes and engagement
The role of storytelling in leadership
Beyond surveys: Real-time employee feedback

Who is our guest?

Ben Hazeldine is a passionate entrepreneur and respected leader in the children’s sports coaching sector. Inspired by his parents, both athletes and educators, Ben combined his love for sports with a commitment to education to launch Future Stars Coaching in 2009. His vision is to provide high-quality, engaging sports education for children.

Since then, Ben has grown the business into a thriving franchise network, with 14 territories now delivering activities to over 25,000 children every week. His innovative approach includes developing training programmes for PE teachers, raising the standard of school sports provision, and building strong partnerships with schools and community clubs.

Ben’s ability to spot opportunities and adapt—whether by embracing new funding models or using modern marketing strategies—has been key to his success. His leadership style centres on clear expectations, high standards, and supporting others to grow.

What do we discuss?

-From passion to profession

-The evolution of apprenticeships

-Early challenges and breakthroughs

-Defining moments and growth

-Franchising Future Stars Coaching

-Leadership evolution and team building

-Measuring success and continuous improvement

-Delegation and trust in leadership

-Staying ahead in a competitive sector

-Future goals

Who is our guest?

John Mulholland is a multi-faceted professional with a diverse background in both education and business. Initially beginning his career as a secondary school teacher specialising in A-level geography, John has since expanded his horizons to become the director of a fast-paced sports coaching company called Fiesta Sports Coaching. Beyond education and sports, John is also a property developer with over 20 years of experience. As an educator, John is passionate about developing young minds and has leveraged his extensive teaching experience to improve the physical education sector.

Under his leadership, Fiesta Sports Coaching has evolved from running summer football camps to offering comprehensive sports coaching and education programmes. John's business acumen doesn't stop at sports; he has successfully undertaken several property development projects, specialising in raising capital and finance. John continually explores innovative ways to integrate new technologies into his business operations in his free time, from cloud-based systems to AI. With his drive, ambition, and relentless pursuit of improvement, John is a dynamic leader committed to significantly impacting education, sports, and business.

What do we discuss?

John's professional journey
Common challenges in business
Leadership and team development
Innovation and embracing technology
Securing grants for community projects
The importance of relationship-building
Navigating funding applications
Utilising scorecards for improvement
Exploring wraparound services
Tips for effective video marketing
Future ambitions and recommendations

Who is our guest?

Suzy Hunt is an accomplished executive and leadership coach passionate about empowering others through personal and professional development. With a rich corporate leadership and sales background, Suzy transitioned to coaching after a pivotal moment in 2017, when simple career advice nudged her towards uncovering her true calling. She holds a qualification in coaching and mentoring from the University of Salford. She has since established herself as a go-to expert for C-suite executives, teams, and individuals seeking to enhance their confidence and achieve performance excellence in their professional lives.

In her former role as Head of Field Sales for Lucozade and Ribena in the UK, Suzy was known for her dynamic leadership and ability to drive sales performance through her exceptional team. She leverages her extensive experience in her coaching practice, where she specialises in executive coaching, leadership development, team dynamics, and sales training. Suzy is also a Type 1 diabetic and a mother, enhancing her empathetic and resilient approach to coaching. When not coaching, Suzy is an engaging speaker and hosts the “Coaching Cast” podcast, where she shares insights on workplace challenges and personal development alongside her friend and fellow coach, Lisa.

What do we discuss?

Meet Suzy Hunt: A journey to coaching
The importance of sales in the physical activity sector
Effective sales techniques and challenges
Building resilience and self-talk strategies
Power of visualisation in workshops
Building relationships in sales
AI's role in sales
Lego serious play in team training
Creating a people-first culture

Who is our guest?

Duncan, the founder and CEO of Profit Genie, is a renowned expert in financial management and business profitability. With a strong background in accounting, Duncan has dedicated his career to helping businesses transcend beyond mere compliance and achieve substantial financial growth. At Profit Genie, Duncan, the founder and CEO of Profit Genie, is a renowned expert in financial management and business profitability. With a strong background in accounting, Duncan has dedicated his career to helping businesses transcend beyond mere compliance and achieve substantial economic growth. At Profit Genie, Duncan champions the "profit first" methodology, guiding businesses through cash flow management and accountability sessions to ensure robust financial health.

Duncan’s passion for financial literacy and empowerment is evident as he frequently engages with SMEs, offering top-tier financial advice and practical steps for enhancing profitability and cash flow. A respected leader in his field, Duncan's transformative approach has earned him widespread acclaim, making him a sought-after figure for businesses seeking to thrive financially.

For more insights and to connect with Duncan, visit Profit Genie.

What do we discuss?

· Cash flow system

· How Duncan stays active

· Link between finance and fitness

· Importance of profitability

· Tips for financial fitness

· Common financial misconceptions

· Improving cash flow

· Management accounts

· Profit first methodology

· Supporting SMEs

· Financial literacy

· Importance of cash flow

· Advice for business owners

· Books and resources

· Performance measurement

Who is our guest?

Wayne is the founder and managing director of Time4Sport, which promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyles for children and families. With a background in sports coaching and development, Wayne has been leading Time4Sport for over 18 years, growing the organisation to employ 24 staff and serve 7,500 children and families weekly. He holds a BA in Sports Development and Coaching and has extensive experience in coaching, management, and community engagement. Under his leadership, Time4Sport has expanded its services to include school programmes, holiday camps, and family weight management initiatives. Wayne is committed to collaboration within the sector, believing that working together is key to combating physical inactivity. Outside work, Wayne enjoys spending time with his family, staying active through gym sessions and coaching his son's football team.

What do we talk about:

Wayne's early life and professional journey
Managing Time4Sport and personal work ethics
Building Time4Sport
Personal benefits of physical activity
Promoting physical activity through Time4Sport
Wayne's role models and leadership style
Wayne's leadership development and strategic planning
Staff development and challenges
Recommendations for leadership enhancement

Who are our guests?

Dan Wilson and Alex Ogden are pioneering spirits in the realm of physical education (PE), each illustrating the transformative journey from teaching in schools to spearheading community-wide initiatives for active living. Dan’s evolution from a PE specialist to a director at Yorkshire Sport Foundation is a testament to his leadership in melding education with broader community goals. His personal experiences highlight a strong belief in the value of sports for social and development benefits. Similarly, Alex’s path from a passionate PE teacher to a role at Yorkshire Sport Foundation under Dan's guidance showcases his dedication to promoting physical activity in schools and beyond. His career transitions, driven by a commitment to physically active learning, mirror his belief in the power of sports to enhance well-being and community engagement.

Dan and Alex embody the mission to make sports accessible, enjoyable, and life-enhancing for all children. They remind us of sports' powerful role in building life skills, fostering a sense of community, and enhancing physical and mental health.

What did we discuss?

· Dan's Professional Journey

· Alex's Professional Journey

· Personal Reflections on Physical Activity

· Creating Active Schools Framework

· Research Foundations and Early Implementation

· Regional Pilot Projects and Key Learnings

· Quick Wins and Active Curriculum Strategies

· Behaviour Change and Teacher Engagement

· Future vision of the education sector

Who is our guest?

Ryan Harris is a charismatic leader in the children's sports coaching and activity sector. Beginning his career at 17 years old, as a kids' activity club provider at David Lloyd's leisure centre, Ryan has demonstrated a natural flair for sports and leadership. His early involvement in tennis, where he excelled to become the number one player in Lancashire for his age group, laid the foundation for his passion for sports and its development.

Despite leaving university early, Ryan's entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to sports led him to recognise the transformative power of physical activity in children's lives. He leveraged his experience and skills to establish the School of Sport in 2016, later diversifying its offerings and rebranding to meet the needs of children and parents better. Under Ryan's leadership, the organisation has flourished, driven by his commitment to high standards, organisational excellence, and community impact. Ryan's journey from a sports enthusiast to a successful business owner reflects his belief in the importance of leadership, collaboration, and innovation in combating physical inactivity among youth. His story is a testament to the impact of perseverance, dedication, and a genuine passion for making a difference in the lives of young people through sports.

What do we discuss?

· The importance of leadership in combating physical inactivity

· Introducing Ryan Harris: From tennis prodigy to business owner

· Ryan's professional journey: The early years

· Expanding beyond tennis: The growth of a business

· Navigating business growth and the pandemic

· Ryan's personal fitness journey and its impact

· Engaging children in physical activity: Strategies and Challenges

· The evolution of wraparound services

· Offering free sessions: A strategy for growth

· Leadership insights and inspirations

· Building a culture of continuous improvement

· Cracking the Active Code

Who is our guest?

Adam Holland is a visionary leader in the children's physical activity sector, having devoted over nine years to managing Progressive Sports in Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Chesterfield. His journey, unconventional in the beginning, started right after high school when he dived into a sports coaching apprenticeship with Port Vale. Despite the early end of his tenure due to financial constraints, Adam’s passion never wavered. He quickly found a new beginning with Progressive Sports, where through dedication, learning, and genuine care for community wellbeing, he has significantly expanded the organisation's reach across the East Midlands. With a focus on making sports accessible and enjoyable for children, Adam has introduced innovative methods such as glow-in-the-dark activities to engage young people and has tirelessly worked towards breaking down barriers to physical activity. His leadership is not only transformative but also inclusive, pushing for high-quality services that raise enjoyment levels and physical activity among children. His efforts extend beyond the field; his strategic use of PR and marketing has notably increased Progressive Sports' visibility and impact. Adam's story is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the importance of leadership at all levels of an organisation.

What do we discuss?

· A Journey in activating community activity

· Adam's early career and the path to Progressive Sports

· The power of physical activity: Adam's insights

· Innovative approaches to engaging children in physical activity

· Adam's proudest moments and inspirational leaders

· Leadership insights and business coaching

· The power of measurement in business improvement

· Personal leadership style and team management

· Developing leaders within the organisation

· Challenges and strategies in leadership development

· Addressing leadership perceptions in the sports sector

· Recommendations for enhancing leadership skills

· Creating opportunities and overcoming barriers

· The importance of reflection and continuous improvement

Who is our guest?

Andrea Springthorpe is an inspiring figure with a multifaceted professional journey deeply rooted in physical activity and fitness. Starting her career in sales and marketing, Andrea found herself unfulfilled and longing for a change. At 28, she took a bold step by quitting her job to pursue a degree in Exercise, Physical Activity, and Health as a mature student at the University of Huddersfield. This decision was a turning point, leading her to explore various domains of physical fitness but ultimately recognising that her heart was not in becoming a PE teacher. Instead, Andrea embarked on an entrepreneurial path and established 'Fit for Force,' a boot camp business aimed at preparing individuals for the physical assessments required in the forces. Her venture was born out of a desire to fill a gap in the fitness preparation for those entering the forces, and it has been successful and ongoing since 2011.

Beyond running boot camps, Andrea's journey took another significant turn when she joined Legacy Sport, where she climbed up to become one of the directors. In her role at Legacy, she handles a mix of finance, operations, sales, and marketing, drawing from her rich background to bring value to the organisation. On a personal level, Andrea places immense value on physical activity, not just for its physical benefits but for its mental health benefits as well. As a mother, she views herself as a role model to her daughter, Sophia, emphasising the importance of being active and healthy. Through her journey, Andrea exemplifies resilience, adaptability, and the pursuit of passion, making her a compelling character in the narrative of fitness and personal growth.

What do we discuss?

· Andrea's Unique Journey into Fitness

· The Birth of Fit for Force and Transition to Legacy Sport

· A Day in the Life at Legacy: Roles and Responsibilities

· Leveraging Sales and Marketing Skills in the Fitness Sector

· Challenges and Changes in the School Fitness Sector

· The Personal Significance of Physical Activity

· Promoting Physical Activity Among Children and Parents

· Inspirational Role Models and Leadership in the Sector

· The Power of Collaboration and Networking

· Leadership Style and Development at Legacy

· Challenges and Achievements: A Reflection

· Improving Activity Levels: Insights and Recommendations

Who are our guests?

With over 25 years of experience in fostering a culture of inclusivity and engagement in sports, Louise Assioun and Sue Morrison stand out as true champions of making physical activity accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Louise, with her rich background in physical education and a level 4 tennis coaching accreditation, spearheads the Team GB Visually Impaired Tennis team, offers invaluable expertise to the Battle Back program, and consults on various projects, including content creation for the LTA’s Coach Education department. Her dedication shines in her work to inspire and develop skills in others, ensuring physical activities are a source of joy and camaraderie for all. Similarly, Sue Morrison’s journey in coaching across a plethora of sports, from tennis to multisport, especially for children and those with disabilities, reflects her deep-seated commitment to nurturing a lifelong love for sports. Her innovative approach in creating activity programs and designing equipment highlights her dedication to broadening the reach of sports, making it possible for individuals from different backgrounds and abilities to find delight and fulfilment in being active. Together, Louise and Sue embody the spirit of inclusivity and passion for sports, making significant strides in bringing the joy and benefits of physical activity to everyone.

What do we discuss?

· Louise's Journey: From PE Teacher to Disability Sports Coach

· Sue's Path: 40 Years of Coaching and Inclusion

· The Power of Sport: Personal Stories of Impact

· Championing Activity: Strategies for Inclusion and Engagement

· Overcoming Barriers: Ensuring Access to Physical Activity for All

· The Journey to Support and Innovation in Inclusive Sports

· Introducing Innovative Training Workshops for Schools

· Creative Solutions for Inclusive Physical Education

· Adapting to Lockdown: Virtual Support and Community Engagement

· LUSU TV: A Resource Hub for Inclusive Activities

· Harnessing Creativity for Inclusive Sports Activities

· Empowering Educators with Inclusive Training Techniques

· Recommendations for Further Learning and Inclusion

Who’s our guest?

Mike Michalowicz is the entrepreneur behind three multimillion-dollar companies and is the author of several business books, including Profit First, Clockwork, The Pumpkin Plan and his newest book, All In. Mike is a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal and a business makeover expert for MSNBC. He regularly travels the globe as an entrepreneurial advocate.

Mike is a dynamic, energetic and passionate individual, often described as a source of inspiration by his peers. As a business leader, author and speaker, he is dedicated to eradicating entrepreneurial poverty and helping small businesses thrive. He understands the hard work and dedication that goes into running a business and the importance of physical health in maintaining balance. Mike is an advocate of regular exercise, not just for its physical benefits, but also for the positive impact it has on mental well-being. An approachable and engaging personality, Mike believes in the power of people and constantly works towards enabling others to reach their full potential. His daily practices revolve around contributing to his personal growth as well as the growth of others. He is highly focused on bringing about change and improvement in any environment he is a part of.

What do we discuss?

· The importance of physical activity

· Physical activity and business leadership

· Promoting physical activity in teams

· The impact of flexibility and health on business

· The power of training camps: A new approach to recruitment

· The importance of education in recruitment

· The power of measurement: Scorecards and improvement

· The art of caring: Transforming underperformers into top performers

· Top tips for small business leaders

Who is our guest?With over 40 years of experience in marketing communications and customer relationship management, Richard is the director at Customer Plus, a leading consultancy that helps businesses improve their customer experience and loyalty. He is also a certified NPS practitioner and an accredited C-me colour profiling activator, which enables him to deliver effective and engaging workshops and training sessions for clients across various sectors.

What do we discuss?

Career Journey and Business Ventures
Role and Services of Customer Plus
Passion for Sports and Physical Activity
Introduction to Customer Journey Mapping
Understanding Customer Satisfaction Surveys and Net Promoter Score
Importance of Prioritising Customer Experience
The Discrepancy Between Promotion and Delivery
Common Mistakes in Customer Experience
The Fitness Analogy: Long-term Commitment in Customer Experience
The Importance of Consistency in Customer Experience
The Role of Customer Experience in Brand Perception
The Challenge of Enhancing Customer Experience
The Power of Choice in Customer Experience
The Role of Enjoyment in Customer Experience

Who’s our guest?

Kay Batkin is the Network Director at Youth Sport Trust. Inspired from an early age to work in sports education, her professional journey began with the aspiration of becoming a PE teacher. However, after a chance conversation with her own PE teacher, she decided to broaden her horizons and studied Sport and Recreation Development at Leeds Beckett University. After graduation, she found herself thrown into local authority roles managing school improvement and sports development. Within her career, her leadership roles have taken her from managing pivotal sports programmes and competitions to building communities and networks within educational landscapes.

In her 14 years at Youth Sport Trust, she has contributed significantly to programmes, where she shares her passion for transforming children's lives through sports and talks about Youth Sport Trust's long-term strategy for using physical activity as a key facet of child education.

Beyond her role as an executive, she is also a fierce advocate for the benefits of physical activity and good health. She strongly supports the idea of schools leading the way in instilling a culture of physical health through initiatives like fitness-based after-school programmes. She believes in the power of sport not just as a competitive platform, but also as a tool for positive social change.

Stay tuned for more such engaging conversations on the Active Code Podcast!

What do we chat about?

Kay Batkin's Professional Journey

Kay's Role at Youth Sport Trust

The Current Landscape for Children and Young People

The Impact of Physical Activity on Kay's Life

The Future of Youth Sport Trust

The Evolution of Health Issues and the Role of Physical Activity

The Long-term Goal: Daily Physical Activity for All

The Challenge: How to Implement the Goal

The Collaborative Approach to Policy Making

The Manifesto: Key Asks for Youth Wellbeing

The Importance of Physical Education in Schools

The Need for Accessible Play Opportunities for Young People

The Role of Activity Providers in the Strategy

The Importance of Collaboration in the Sector

The Impact of School Games on Youth Engagement

The Upcoming YST Conference: Change Their Score, Change Their Future

Our latest Active Code Podcast had the pleasure of hosting CMXSC’s Founder and Director, Chris Michaelides, a passionate entrepreneur with a deep-seated love for sports.

Chris shared insights on his personal and professional journey, revealing how he navigates the challenges of being a business owner while emphasising the transferable skills he absorbed from his passion – sports.

Who is our guest?

Chris is a passionate director who strives to positively impact and engage as many children as possible through physical activity. He is the founder and director of CMXSC Ltd, a company that provides specialist primary physical education, Ofsted registered childcare in the form of wraparound care provision and active holiday camps for children and consulting services in sports and education.

Stay tuned for more such engaging conversations on the Active Code Podcast!

What do we chat about?

During the episode, we dive into:

Chris’ professional journey and love for sports
Importance of physical activity and sports
Balancing family life and physical activity
Chris’ fitness routine
Lessons from sports translated into business leadership
The competitive nature of leadership
Inspirational leaders and their impact
Rapid growth and challenges in business
Understanding the power of saying ‘Yes’ and ‘No’
Self-reflection and improvement as a leader
The importance of communication and presence
The art of listening and understanding
Developing leaders within your organisation
Overcoming challenges as a business owner
Proudest moments in life and business
Recommendations for enhancing leadership skills

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

The Active Code: “Invest in people that put children’s needs first and business needs second”.

We’re excited to welcome Matt Ogle, Founder and Director of SP4, to The Active Code.

Matt set up S4A when he was just 15 years old and has sent led his passionate team to help inspire children through creativity, sports, and play. As a leading provider in the Buckingham, Northampton and Oxfordshire regions, Matt is perfectly positioned to offer advice and support to leaders during this episode.

Growing from being predominantly sports centred at the start of our journey to have evolved over the years into an Ofsted-accredited, trusted, well-established care provider offering a range of services, including wraparound care in many schools, PE lessons, holiday clubs, the HAF programme, SEN support, our football development centre.

Who is Matt Ogle?

S4A (Sports4All) are specialists in active and creative childcare, providing wrap-around care and clubs as well as holiday clubs. Their aim is to provide an environment for children that allows them to pursue their interests, with a key focus on sport. The company works with the county council to provide support for schools, as well as directly with parents, where they operate primarily as an e-commerce business, relying on online bookings to take on new customers.

Matt Ogle is the founder and director of S4A, and is one of the creative, business minds behind S4A’s success, having created the organisation at the young age of 15. Matt has grown the company from humble beginnings, with the primary focus always being on giving the best care out there. Over the years, Matt has been presented with a range of huge growth opportunities for the business since 2007 which has allowed him to keep investing in his business for long-term growth and reward.

What do we chat about in the episode?

During the episode, we dive into:

· How Matt started his business at the young of 15.

· The impact flexible working hours and timetables can have.

· How to employ and develop the right people.

· The struggles and solutions to running a successful childcare service.

· How to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

We’re excited to welcome Rafe Turner, Partnership Executive at CIMPSA, to The Active Code.

As the sector’s chartered professional body, CIMSPA works on behalf of the whole sport and physical activity sector – supporting, developing, and enabling professionals to succeed and, as a result, inspiring our nation to be more active.

CIMSPA helps to nurture talent, develop careers, inspire professionalism, and set clear regulatory standards for success, continuing the development of a modern, prosperous and respected sport and physical activity sector.

Who is Rafe Turner?

Rafe Turner has more than enough experience as he is a Partnership Executive and Skills Hub Manager, with prior experience fostering relationships with partner organisations. Additionally, Rafe has over 10 years in the Sport and Fitness sector, making him a knowledgeable individual.

Rafe is an evolving leader, driven to enhance society and develop personally to make a positive difference for individuals, groups and communities.

Rafe’s role with CIMSPA has been instrumental in supporting thousands of coaches receive training, guidance and support to succeed in a sector that has previously struggled to keep it’s best people.

Rafe isn’t a stranger to strategic operations within organisations. He led a national team of 15 to design and deliver projects that contributed to organisational strategic objectives while serving out a national network of youth volunteers, using the diversity of strengths and perspectives in the group to drive high performance.

Since his recent promotion to Skills Hub Manager, Rafe has been organising and creating Sport & Physical Activity Skills Hub in Worcestershire, Staffordshire, and Cheshire.

What do we chat about in the episode?

As an avid reader of personal development books, Rafe not only recommends some top reads on this episode, he also shares top tips and vulnerabilities on:

· Work-life balance

· Traits of a great leader

· Supporting team development pathways

· The struggles during his career so far

· How CIMSPA are putting the workforce and sector on the map

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

We’re excited to welcome both Dave Thomas, Director of Business Development at Fox Cycling, to The Active Code.

Since 2010, Fox Cycling has taught thousands of children to cycle so families can ride together; the fun, progressive instruction has been further refined and developed over time.

We all know that the current generation of kids spends way too much time indoors, leading sedentary lifestyles, and cycling is the perfect antidote to this problem. But, as we all know, learning to ride a bike can be tough, especially when the bikes are too heavy, or those pesky stabilisers are involved. Luckily, Fox Cycling is here to save the day, offering a brilliant license program that enables sports coaching companies to deliver top-quality cycling provisions to children all over the country.

Who is Dave Thomas?

Dave Thomas has more than enough experience as he is the Director of Business Developments, with prior experience driving sales and performance of the group of franchisees under his leadership. Coaching, motivating, and developing his team to achieve and exceed set quarterly targets, which includes supporting his team through close and frequent communication to drive success.

Fox Cycling recognises there are three main barriers to children not cycling, so they designed a fun activity-based methodology to get kids cycling safely in an hour. Utilising this gap in the child development and family health sector, Dave manages and organises Fox Cycling’s licensees and franchisees.

Since 2010, Fox Cycling has taught thousands of children to cycle so many more families can ride together; the fun, progressive learning system has been further refined and developed over time.

What do we chat about in the episode?

During the episode, Dave discusses:

· Why is learning to ride vital for children?

· The current barriers to children learning to ride

· How organisations can help children develop a life-long love for cycling

· The different licencing opportunities available for coaching providers around the UK

· How sports coaching providers can make up to £450 per coach, per day with Fox Cycling

We’re excited to welcome both Karl Andrade and Adam Hampton, Directors at Essex Professional Coaching, to The Active Code.

Karl Andrade and Adam Hampson hold Director positions at Essex Professional Coaching and are recognised for their immense passion within the AAP network. Essex Professional Coaching is committed to fostering personal development, motivation, and inspiration through sports and physical education. Their core values of enthusiasm, passion, and care are deeply ingrained in their approach to coaching.

Who are Karl and Adam?

Karl and Adam are the Directors of Essex Professional Coaching, which is an independent sports coaching company that offers a wide range of coaching services.

Their main objective is to provide expert guidance and support to individuals, helping them achieve their sporting goals while fostering personal growth and development. Their experienced coaches are dedicated to delivering the highest quality coaching across a variety of sporting activities.

Karl and Adam believe in tailoring their services to meet the specific needs of each individual, and they are committed to promoting an environment that inspires and motivates their clients to reach their full potential. Their passion for sports coaching is reflected in their comprehensive approach, and they take pride in helping individuals achieve success both on and off the field.

What do we chat about in the episode?

During the episode, Karl and Adam open up in an honest and transparent way about:

· Their journey from childhood friends to owning a business, and the steep learning curves throughout the process.

· The importance of offering a wide variety of opportunities to children.

· How a customer care focus has helped their business grow.

· EPC’s mission, vision, and values.

· How being accountable owners drive successful teams.

· The amazing highs, and tough lows of being business owners.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch on YouTube [link to YouTube video]

We’re excited to welcome Tom Trout, an expert in Nursery, Childcare, Wraparound care, and Sports Coaching Recruitment, to The Active Code.

Tom is the Managing Director of Love Recruitment, which specialises in recruiting care staff for companies across the UK. They recruit for all departments within the childcare sector, from senior operations to front-line teams. Their services include providing staff for wrap-around care, sports camps, and childcare environments. Love Care Recruitment's focus is on providing outstanding service and delivery while continuously innovating to ensure their clients make the right decisions.

Who is Tom Trout?

As the Recruitment Director of a specialist fitness recruitment agency based in Southeast London, Tom leads a team of consultants to deliver exceptional service to both clients and candidates.
His agency recruits for health and fitness jobs across various sectors, including franchise, private, public, and commercial. We aim to save our clients time and act as their agents to find the best candidates, resulting in a long-term and effective return on investment. Their approach is focused on building strong partnerships with our clients and becoming their account managers.
Tom and his team have supported over a thousand candidates to find their perfect roles, and are specialists in nursery, child, and adult care.
A few of his achievements involve successfully account managing his client’s business to become one of the most profitable accounts since taking over as Recruitment Director. Additionally, he is sharing this extensive expertise with the new generation of workers as he’s recruited and trained new consultants to achieve their targets.

What do we chat about in the episode?

During the episode, Tom shares:

• How Love Care do things differently.
• Why putting their clients and applicants at the heart of everything builds trust and leads to better results.
• The current recruitment trends in the children’s activity sector.
• Why so many job adverts don’t work.
• Since the pandemic, what people look for in a job advert.
• How employers must adapt to a new generation of applicants.
• The results of an industry-wide survey of applicants.

We’re excited to welcome Stuart Armstrong, a strategic sports development professional, to The Active Code.

Stuart has been involved with some of the biggest names in the industry. Some of which include The Golf Foundation, UK Coaching, The RFU as Head of Player Pathways, and Development & Rugby Growth. Stuart’s most recent role with Sport England as Head of Coaching & Strategic Lead for Workforce Transformation. Using his extensive experience within the industry, Stuart shares the current challenges with physical activity initiatives.

Who is Stuart Armstrong?

Stuart Armstrong is a dynamic, and innovative sports development professional with a proven track record of leading transformational change initiatives across multiple sporting domains. He is currently developing the sport and physical activity workforce to better meet the needs of a broader range of participants.

His specialities include but aren’t limited to Coach Development, Coach Education, Talent Academies, apprenticeships, and Sourcing External Funding.

What do we chat about in the episode?

During the episode, Stuart shares:

· The challenges with current physical activity initiatives.

· Lack of autonomy in the delivery of physical activity.

· Why children’s activity levels are low.

· The vital role people play in engaging children and young people.

· Ideas on developing the sector’s workforce.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Last week we welcomed Craig Brennan, founder and CEO of The Little Sports Group, to The Active Code.

This episode is the best bits!

Drawing on his extensive experience in the sports, education, and childcare industries, Craig shared his expertise and insights in this must-listen episode.

Who is Craig Brennan?

Craig Brennan is an experienced CEO with a demonstrated history of working in sports,
education and childcare. Craig is founder and CEO of The Little Sports Group, a group of companies that provide education, childcare and physical activity programmes across the UK to schools and families.

Craig is skilled in strategy, innovation, operations and leadership, and has a proven track record in acquisitions, start-ups and scaling businesses.

What do we chat about in the episode?

During the episode, Craig shares:

· His experiences of acquisitions

· Employing over 230 people and the challenges that brings

· What LSC’s people strategy includes and why it’s vital for success

· How his views on physical activity and what it means have changed over time

Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube @AspireActiveEducation

We’re excited to welcome Craig Brennan, founder and CEO of The Little Sports Group, to The Active Code.

Drawing on his extensive experience in the sports, education, and childcare industries, Craig shares his expertise and insights in this must-listen episode.

Who is Craig Brennan?

Craig Brennan is an experienced CEO with a demonstrated history of working in sports,
education and childcare. Craig is founder and CEO of The Little Sports Group, a group of companies that provide education, childcare and physical activity programmes across the UK to schools and families.

Craig is skilled in strategy, innovation, operations and leadership, and has a proven track record in acquisitions, start-ups and scaling businesses.

What do we chat about in the episode?

During the episode, Craig shares:

· His experiences of acquisitions

· Employing over 230 people and the challenges that brings

· What LSC’s people strategy includes and why it’s vital for success

· How his views on physical activity and what it means have changed over time

Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube @AspireActiveEducation

We’re excited to welcome Chris Sharman, co-founder of Topodium, to The Active Code. Chris has been at the forefront of innovation in the sports, health and wellbeing industries and has a wealth of experience and insights to share. Through Topodium, Chris aims to transform these industries and make a positive impact on people's lives.

Who is Chris Sharman?

Chris co-founded Topodium Group in 2020 with a single mission; to transform the sports, health and wellbeing industries.

By leveraging a powerful set of collaborative solutions and industry expertise, from sports marketing and technology, to youth consultancy and business growth,

Topodium are able to effectively and efficiently address change, achieving better outcomes and inspiring new possibilities for people around the world.

What do we chat about in the episode?

· The challenges of rolling out services on a global scale

· How Topodium put emphasis on a ‘family feel’ organisation, even through rapid growth

· The vision of making people feel good inside and out

· The importance of selling the ‘why’ and the feeling through marketing messages

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch on YouTube

Last week we has Sporting Communities’ Ben Rigby join us on The Active Code. Here are some of the best bits of the episode for you to enjoy.

Who is Ben Rigby?

Ben Rigby is Managing Director at Sporting Communities.

Sporting Communities is an ethical, not-for-profit community interest company who are committed to delivering cost-effective, timely and professional services.

What do we chat about in the full episode?

You’ll get to hear:

· How Ben and his team have engaged over 30,000 people in regular physical activity

· How Ben and his team have invested millions into communities

· What Ben means by providing ‘activity by stealth’

· The importance of stepping out of your comfort zone to develop

· How it’s vital to go down and talk to those in your local communities to fully understand what motivates them to take part

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOmF3y8wuiYKL7jmm1kdxRgJqwzHtVAwo

We’re excited to have Sporting Communities’ Ben Rigby joining us on The Active Code.

Who is Ben Rigby?

Ben Rigby is Managing Director at Sporting Communities.

Sporting Communities is an ethical, not-for-profit community interest company who are committed to delivering cost-effective, timely and professional services.

What do we chat about?

During this episode you’ll get to hear:

· How Ben and his team have engaged over 30,000 people in regular physical activity

· How Ben and his team have invested millions into communities

· What Ben means by providing ‘activity by stealth’

· The importance of stepping out of your comfort zone to develop

· How it’s vital to go down and talk to those in your local communities to fully understand what motivates them to take part

Our last episode of our podcast was with Chris Jones, ex-international England rugby player. This latest episode features the best bits of that podcast.

Who is Chris Jones?

On the pitch, Chris was a senior player and key decision-maker. Chris was a key member of successful Premiership-winning squads and capped for England.

Following his playing days, Chris is still involved in coaching and mentoring younger players.

In his professional career, Chris has moved outside of the sector.

What do we chat about?

During this episode, Chris speaks to Luke and Paul about:

· Being offered his first professional contract

· The transition from his playing days to his new career

· The impact physical activity has on mood, sleep and health

· What the great leaders did in high-pressure situations

· What leading by example looks like

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube

Are you a rugby fan?

Then you will not want to miss the next episode of The Active Code.

We’re thrilled to announce our guest this week is Chris Jones, ex-international England rugby player.

Who is Chris Jones?

On the pitch, Chris was a senior player and key decision-maker. Chris was a key member of successful Premiership-winning squads and capped for England.

Following his playing days, Chris is still involved in coaching and mentoring younger players.

In his professional career, Chris has moved outside of the sector.

What do we chat about?

During this episode, Chris speaks to Luke and Paul about:

· Being offered his first professional contract

· The transition from his playing days to his new career

· The impact physical activity has on mood, sleep and health

· What the great leaders did in high-pressure situations

· What leading by example looks like

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

We’re thrilled to announce Hockey star Tess Howard is joining us on The Active Code!

Who is Tess Howard?

Tess Howard is a Great Britain and England Hockey player. Since recording the episode, Tess has gone on to extraordinary heights in her Hockey career, including scoring a winning goal against Australia in the gold medal match of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

In addition to Tess’s Commonwealth successes, she’s also a public speaker, guest writer and podcast host.

What do we chat about?

During the episode, Tess shares:

· Her experience of representing her country from a young age

· Juggling her university studies with playing sport

· Her incredible story of overcoming a 12-month intensive rehabilitation following an ACL rupture that led to her missing the Tokyo Olympics

· Her drive to break down the barriers for girls and women taking part in sport and physical activity

LinkedIn / @howard__tess

The wait is over.

The Active Code is back.

And not just as audio, but video too!

That’s right, not only can you listen to us, you also have the option to see us on our YouTube channel, by clicking here.

We’ve got a whole new host of experts joining us to explore how we can boost leadership and get more children active.

And what a first guest we have.

Who is our guest?

We’re delighted to be joined by Tara Dillon, CEO of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, or as many of you will know them, CIMSPA.

CIMSPA is the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector, committed to supporting, developing and enabling professionals and organisations to succeed and, as a result, inspire our nation to become more active.

We have recently formed an exciting partnership with CIMSPA as we feel collaboration on standards, high quality and the development of career pathways in the sector is a crucial part of the puzzle to get more children, more active, more often.

Through introducing you to Tara, and the work CIMSPA do, we hope to bring you, your organisation and your workforce support, guidance and inspiration to continue the great work you already do.

What do we chat about?

As CEO of CIMSPA for 7 years now, we are keen to hear Tara’s story and motivations behind the great work CIMSPA has done and is going to do moving forwards.

We’ll be delving into the secret of CIMSPA’s success and rapid growth, the direction CIMSPA wants to take the sector and the amazing impact CIMSPA has had on physical activity levels.

Our chat with Tara is split into two parts and will be released over two weeks:

w/c 21st November 2022: Part 1

w/c 28th November 2022: Part 2

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch on YouTube.

We are very excited to bring this podcast to you... enjoy the episode!

The wait is over.

The Active Code is back.

And not just as audio, but video too!

That’s right, not only can you listen to us, you also have the option to see us on our YouTube channel, by clicking here.

We’ve got a whole new host of experts joining us to explore how we can boost leadership and get more children active.

And what a first guest we have.

Who is our guest?

We’re delighted to be joined by Tara Dillon, CEO of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, or as many of you will know them, CIMSPA.

CIMSPA is the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector, committed to supporting, developing and enabling professionals and organisations to succeed and, as a result, inspire our nation to become more active.

We have recently formed an exciting partnership with CIMSPA as we feel collaboration on standards, high quality and the development of career pathways in the sector is a crucial part of the puzzle to get more children, more active, more often.

Through introducing you to Tara, and the work CIMSPA do, we hope to bring you, your organisation and your workforce support, guidance and inspiration to continue the great work you already do.

What do we chat about?

As CEO of CIMSPA for 7 years now, we are keen to hear Tara’s story and motivations behind the great work CIMSPA has done and is going to do moving forwards.

We’ll be delving into the secret of CIMSPA’s success and rapid growth, the direction CIMSPA wants to take the sector and the amazing impact CIMSPA has had on physical activity levels.

Our chat with Tara is split into two parts and will be released over two weeks:

w/c 21st November 2022: Part 1

w/c 28th November 2022: Part 2

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch on YouTube.

We are very excited to bring this podcast to you... enjoy the episode!

The series finale of The Active Code is here and what a series it’s been!

To say farewell (for now), we’re looking back on series 3 and bringing you the very best bits in this final episode.

Who’s joined us on the podcast this series?

We’ve welcomed a whole host of exceptional business owners and experts from both inside and outside of the sports coaching and children's activity sector:

Episode 1: Chris Brindley - Non-Executive Director, International Speaker, Executive Coach and Consultant in business and sport

Episode 2: Adam Lakeland - Founder and director of Pro Sport Coaching Ltd

Episode 3: Edwyn van Rooyen - CEO at T-Cup Ltd

Episode 4: Dennis Kennedy - Founder of Inspire Activity Limited

Episode 5: Jack Shakespeare - Director of Research, Policy and Communications for ukactive

Episode 6: Mitchell Quirke - Business Development Manager at Progressive Sports

Episode 7: Hannah Crane - Director of Development at StreetGames

What sought-after insights have been shared this series?

Over the seven episodes we noticed a theme develop. Our chats with each guest were first and foremost about 'what's best for our children and young people'.

Chris Brindley MBE challenged the perceptions of teachers, sports coaches and educators through the children's eyes.
The social impact of sport in the local community was celebrated.
Mitchell Quirke from Progressive Sports in Bristol emphasised the importance of developing public and private sector relationships to affect meaningful change.
Jack Shakespeare, Director of Research, Policy and Communications, delved into the key strategies we can take from other sectors, such as marketing and communication, to help engage more people in physical activity.

Listen to episode 8 “Best Bits” now or catch up on all seven episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

A big thank you to all our series 3 guests for joining us and sharing thought-provoking insights, nuggets of wisdom and inspirational ideas to boost leadership and get more children active!

This week on the podcast we chat to Hannah Crane, Director of Development at StreetGames.

Who is Hannah Crane?

Hannah is Director of Development at StreetGames, an organisation creating positive change in the lives of disadvantaged young people through the power of sport.

Hannah joined StreetGames in 2011 as Partnership Manager, heading up the organisation’s legacy building strategy for London 2012. Now, as Director of Development, Hannah manages the design, writing and delivery of StreetGames’ training.

What’s discussed in the episode?

Volunteer to career success examples
How a values-first discussion builds trust with community organisations
How to take on the difficult questions, such as ‘What do young people actually want to hear about?’
Why the sector needs to support the workforce in fielding first line mental health questions from participants
StreetGames’ exciting upcoming projects

This week on the podcast we’re joined by Mitchell Quirke, Business Development Manager at Progressive Sports.

Who is Mitchell Quirke?

Mitchell Quirke is in his eighth year at Progressive Sports.

As Business Development Manager, Mitchell develops meaningful partnerships with primary schools and community projects in the Bristol and South Gloucestershire region.

Why?

To engage and inspire children to lead active and healthy lives.

What’s discussed in the episode?

The importance of a healthy body and healthy mind
How Progressive Sports doubled their revenue through effective relationship building and increased customer trust
Why Progressive Sports offer the Holiday Activity and Food Programme in the region
Headaches and barriers the programme threw up
Solutions and tips to address the headaches and barriers
How Progressive Sports has had an impact on over 8,000 children in the past 12 months during the school holidays

This week’s guest brings with him years of experience in the children’s activities sector.

Joining Paul and Luke for a chat is Director of Research, Policy and Communications for ukactive, Jack Shakespeare.

Who is Jack Shakespeare?

Starting his career with Fit for Sport in 2007, he helped the organisation become one of the country’s most well-known children’s activity organisations. In a 10-year journey Jack helped develop hundreds of people to operate in the sector and became Head of Training and Development.

Moving on to become Head of ukactive Kids in 2017, a not-for-profit organisation for the physical activity sector, Jack worked with local and national partners to develop a policy-driven, practical approach to providing more opportunities for children and young people to be physically active.

Now, as Director of Research, Policy and Communications for ukactive, Jack continues to champion the benefits of physical activity and plays a key role in the ukactive Research Institute.

What do Jack, Luke and Paul chat about in this episode?

· The benefits of physical activity on family life

· How exercise sparks innovation and clear thinking

· How emphasising growth on an individual level is key to engaging the unengaged

· What the sector can learn from the youth sector, marketing and communication

· How we as a sector can start showing the social impact of our provision and support in the community

This week on the podcast we welcome Dennis Kennedy, founder of Inspire Activity Limited.

Who is Dennis Kennedy?

“It takes a village to raise a child" is a proverb that really resonates with this week’s guest.

Dennis Kennedy is the founder of Inspire Activity Limited, a West Midlands based organisation that connects people with activity providers through the Community Games project.

Swapping life in the corporate world to work with a core voluntary team and provide an environment where children and young people are inspired to grow in a safe and healthy environment has had its challenges, but Dennis and his team are in no doubt that those challenges are far outweighed by the positive outcomes.

What’s discussed in the episode?

The origins of the Community Games
How the Community Games has engaged a staggering 80,000 plus people in their local community
The main reasons why the Community Games has seen great success
How Dennis and his team pivoted during the pandemic
The importance of volunteers in the physical activity space

This week on The Active Code we welcome tech entrepreneur Edwyn van Rooyen who’s using science, tech and real-time data to help organisations, schools and individuals find their own perfect blend of health, happiness and success.

Who is Edwyn van Rooyen?

Ed is a successful tech entrepreneur, having set up and run multiple organisations. With a background in legal and financial services and a keen interest in sport and physical activity, Ed is passionate about creating successful teams who thrive within the workplace.

Ed’s most recent venture, T-Cup, uses cutting edge self-reflection technology to improve people’s wellbeing in a measurable and sustainable way using real-time data.

Hosts Luke and Paul chat to Ed about:

· His background as a semi-professional rugby player

· The sale of his business and the struggles it caused

· His desire to measure health and happiness

· How T-Cup helps people thrive

Who is Adam Lakeland?

Adam Lakeland is founder and director of Pro Sport Coaching Ltd . Dedicated to raising children’s activity levels, Adam launched Pro Sport Coaching in 2006, growing a team of like-minded individuals who deliver quality physical activity provision in Lancashire schools and nurseries.

Alongside his role as director, Adam is a committed First Team Manager at Curzon Ashton FC. He joined as manager in November 2021, prior to which he was manager of Farsley Celtic FC from May 2017 - October 2021. Adam’s first season saw him guide the team to the Evo-Stik Premier Division playoffs and win the West Riding County Cup. During his second season, Farsley Celtic FC won the Evo-Stik Premier Division, earning promotion to the National North, and under Adam’s management, the team reached the League Cup Final.

Hosts Luke and Paul chat to Adam about:

His experiences in football management with teams such as Blackburn Rovers, Curzon Ashton and Farsley Celtic.
How the dedicated team at Pro Sport Coaching increase physical activity levels in the North West.
The importance of saying no to customers.
Why effective delegation is one of the key elements of a successful business.

Who is Chris Brindley?

Chris Brindley is a Non-Executive Director, International Speaker, Executive Coach and Consultant in business and sport.

Chris’ career prior to his current portfolio of roles spanned two different industries, having been an Executive Director in both. After four years as MD at the UK’s leading challenger bank, Metro Bank, Chris decided to make the move that has seen him recognised with an MBE for services to sport and awarded winner of the Institute of Directors, UK Non-Executive Director of the Year in 2017.

Chris is a leading Conference speaker in the UK, Europe, Africa and Australia covering topics such as customer excellence, (international speaker in) leadership, change, employee engagement and how to build high performing teams through a growth mindset.

From a sport and business perspective, Chris is recognised as an asset around the board table. An independent board evaluation of GreaterSport, where Chris was Chair for 11 years, described the way in which the board operated as (part of) "one of the best seen in any industry across the world".

Awards:

MBE Special Recognition Award United Kingdom
Non-Executive Director of the Year
Sales Leader of the Year at the National Sales Awards
Most Outstanding Employer at the National Business Awards
Sales and Marketing Director of the Year
Britain’s Best Boss by the Working Families Association
Sales and Marketing Director of the Year for 3 consecutive years at the British Excellence Sales and Marketing Awards
Sales and Marketing Director of the Year
Led teams to success at the National Customer Service awards.

Clients include:

Heineken
Sport England
Professional Footballers Association
Manchester United FC
WILO
Allianz
Close Brothers

Hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson chat to Chris about:

His belief that physical activity enables a better and longer life
Children’s health being more important than whether provision is coming from the public or private sector
The social impact sport and physical activity can have on local communities
How the Rugby League World Cup shall be unique in its inclusivity vision
The importance of leaders being visionary, doing the right thing even when it’s the hard thing and having emotional intelligence

In the series finale, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined bySteve Mitchell.

Who is Steve Mitchell?

Mitch is a Skills and Sport Consultant and retired rugby player who believes that sport can change lives.

Mitch’s parents ingrained in him the importance of physical activity from a young age, and this led him to taking a gap year coaching in primary schools in Johannesburg, followed by a degree in PE and Sport Science at Loughborough University.

After graduating, Mitch worked in the public sector in a range of roles but most notably for SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure, Learning and Well-being, where he formed a passion for developing people in, through and across sport.

Mitch has worked with a wide range of organisations, including being Director and Chairman of Parkour UK and a Board member of Active Essex, the County Sports Partnership for Essex.

Now self-employed, Mitch works with several sporting organisations on initiatives related to people and learning. He is the Founder at Sporting People, Co-Founder at Sport for Confidence, and Trustee for Switch the Play Foundation.

What is the podcast about?

In the episode, we:

Find out how Mitch has connected with so many ‘top performing’ people in the industry over the past 30 years.
Discuss his experience in outreach and private education projects in South Africa and the foundation this gave him.
Hear what Mitch believes are the key traits of a leader and how to develop them.
Make comparisons to high performing organisations outside of our industry such as the customer-centric Metro Bank.

In the penultimate episode of this series, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined byAnderson Hirst.

Who is Anderson Hirst?

Anderson is the Founder and Director at Selling Interactions, an international sales consulting and training organisation based in Birmingham. He is a passionate researcher of sales best practice, splitting his time between sales research and hands-on delivery.

After switching from an initial career as a brewer, Anderson started out in front line technical sales before moving into the field of sales training and consulting where he sold, designed and delivered multiple international sales improvement projects.

In 2005, Anderson studied an MBA at Warwick Business School and used his research into sales process to build the foundations of Selling Interactions. He also founded The Kojo Academy to help clients accelerate their sales capability.

What is the podcast about?

Anderson’s love for running, yoga, cycling and skateboarding
How physical activity is his way of recharging his batteries
The three key steps to delegation
Anderson’s three top tips for organisations looking to work with more schools

In this week’s episode of The Active Code, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined by Independent Educational Consultant, Andy Heald.

Who is Andy Heald?

Andy has spent over 20 years in the children’s activity space, starting out as a coach and moving on to roles as an educator, business owner and company director.
Andy has a passion for workforce development and his roles have led him to implementing a high-quality coach development programme and solution to drive success on a national scale.
Andy currently acts as Vice Chair of the Community Professional Development Board for the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

What is the podcast about?

In the episode, Andy:

describes his childhood spent playing sports in the street with his friends and explains how it inspired him to work to provide similar opportunities for as many children as possible.
tells us how he and a large group of children broke a Guinness World Record for the largest fencing lesson ever delivered.
explains why vision, values and transparency led to the fast growth of his franchise.
talks about how regular exercise impacts on his mental health and wellbeing and how he incorporates ‘Tiny Habits’ into his day.

In this week’s episode of The Active Code, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined byEddie Ray, Founder and Managing Director at Progressive Sports.

Who is Eddie Ray?

Eddie is an entrepreneur, franchiser and investor. He set up Progressive Sports in 2006 and has been

supporting schools and communities ever since.

Progressive Sports’ mission is to inspire, engage, empower and encourage children to lead healthy active lifestyles and they achieve this through providing a range of programmes to support PE and Sport in schools and also the wider community.

What is the podcast about?

In the episode, Eddie:

talks about who has influenced him throughout his career.
explains why, as a leader, it is important to be humble, empathetic and accountable.
discusses why he believes failure is just a process and a great learning opportunity.
shares the reasons for franchising Progressive Sports.

In this week’s episode of The Active Code, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined byWill Atterbury, Founder & Managing Director at Active Me 360 CIC.

Who is Will Atterbury?

Will is a keen sportsman and a business enthusiast. He has been a sports coach for many years and has worked in the Active Leisure, Sport and Physical Education sector in a range of roles. Will is based in Hampshire, but has also spent time working as a Special Constable for the Metropolitan Police in London.

In 2019, Will founded Active Me 360, a company which aims to change lives through physical activity, sport and education.

As a Community Interest Company (or Social Enterprise), Active Me 360 reinvest profits they make back in to their local community to enable social change.

For a new company, which had only been going for a year when the pandemic hit, Active Me 360 has been very successful, winning a Marathon Kids award in 2020-21 for running the most attended park events and being nominated for the Winchester Business Excellence Awards 2021.

What is the podcast about?

In the episode, Will:

elaborates on his journey from sports coaching to managing his own company.
explains how Active Me 360 works to enable social change.
shares the reason culture plays a huge part at Active Me 360, and why it drives everything they do.

In this week’s episode of The Active Code, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined byGary Laybourne, Chief Executive Officer at Coach Core.

Who is Gary Laybourne?

Gary is an experienced sports coach and former triathlete whose mission to better the lives of the young apprentices he works with stems from his own life experiences.

As a coach, Gary has worked with various organisations and people from all walks of life over the last 20 years. Since 2012 he has worked with Coach Core and is now CEO.

Coach Core targets 16-24 year olds who are not in education, employment or training and uses sport and apprenticeship training as a vehicle to drive social mobility.

Gary and his team at Coach Core have helped grow the organisation to work with 600 apprentices in 15 locations in the UK and Gary has also created a strategic relationship with the Royal Foundation.

What is the podcast about?

In the episode, Gary tells us about:

what physical activity means to him, and how it’s a part of everyday life.
his belief that no matter who they are or where they’re from, every person has the right to access high quality physical activity.
how he strives to ask for and take on board 360 feedback from his team.
the successful strategy he implemented over the pandemic to bring together his remote team.

In the second episode of this series, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined byAlex Wallace and Katie Smith from The Mintridge Foundation.

Who is Alex Wallace?

Alex is the Founder and Managing Director of The Mintridge Foundation, a charity that uses the power of positive role models to impact lives.

Her passion is to give all young people equal sporting opportunities, and Mintridge achieves this by working with Olympic, Paralympic and elite athletes to deliver unforgettable experiences to children and young people.

Alex has been recognised for her achievements by several high-profile organisations, including being awarded the Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year award in 2018 in the grassroots category.

Who is Katie Smith?

Katie is Operations Director at The Mintridge. Foundation. She has a background in education, physical activity and health, being a keen netball and lacrosse player.

She is a qualified PE teacher and netball coach and has led of a range of sport participation programmes across the country, working in challenging environments and with people of varying ages and abilities.

Katie is using her skills and experiences to help the development of mentoring programmes at The Mintridge Foundation.

What is the podcast about?

Alex shares her experience of failure at a young age and how it planted the seed for her to support young people.
Katie talks about how such a diverse range of athletes allows them to inspire many children, compared to the few role models in the spotlight when she was growing up.
We discuss how encouraging children and young people to celebrate successes and failures equally is key to lifelong participation in physical activity.

In the first episode of a new series of The Active Code, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined byJustin Coleman and Rudro Sen from Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice.

Who is Justin Coleman?

Justin is Co-Founder and COO of Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice, an organisation which was set up to reduce violence, crime and reoffending.

Justin is an expert in leading and delivering projects that use sport and physical activity in the Criminal Justice System.

He has won several awards for his work, including Prison Officer of the Year 2009 (Working with Young People) and a Major Butler Trust Award for his programme design and delivery.

Who is Rudro Sen?

Before moving to London, Rudro worked on the Just for Kicks programme in Mumbai, using football to support under-privileged teenagers to develop leadership skills and improve their life chances.

He continued in the Sport for Development sector at the National Citizen Service (NCS) in London, working with 15-17-year-olds from diverse backgrounds on summer activity programmes.

Rudro is now Project Manager for Alliance of Sport’s Levelling the Playing Field project which aims to use sport to address over-representation in the youth justice system.

What is the podcast about?

Justin and Rudro speak about their goal of facilitating a network of organisations to create “can do” attitudes.
They discuss the importance of having positive role models in all communities, especially harder to reach ones, to inspire future generations.
Justin describes his belief that physical activity is something we should all “just do” and not need to think about.

Episode eleven and the final episode of the current Active Code series sees hosts Paul and Luke joined by Jeremy Snape, Sporting Edge Founder and Managing Director.

Who’s Jeremy Snape?

As a former International cricketer and coach providing innovative performance ideas for teams and leaders. Jeremy has rapidly become one of the most recognised names in sport psychology drawing upon real life examples from his playing and coaching career.

As Founder and Managing Director of Sporting Edge, Jeremy helps business leaders transform their mindset, leadership skills and performance.

The three will be covering:

How Jeremy has been coaching business leaders since hanging up his pads and leaving the ice baths behind
The inspirational leaders Jeremy has worked with on and off the pitch including Shane Warne and Baroness Sue Campbell
The way Formula 1 teams are a great example of working together towards one goal of ‘improving lap times’
How using social connections may be the way to engage more children and young people in physical activity
Challenges for business leaders

In episode 10 of the Active Code hosts Paul and are joined by Harvey Grout, Managing Director at Careers in Sport and PGCE Physical Education Subject Leader University of Reading.

Who’s Harvey Grout?

Harvey began his career as a secondary school PE teacher, having gained a QTS physical education degree at the University of Warwick.

In 2012 Harvey founded Careers in Sport, drawing on his experience from PE teaching and coaching. Careers in Sport offers students, sports enthusiasts and professionals with a passion for sport, career advice and job opportunities from leading professionals in the sport and fitness industry.

Harvey is also the author of 'Improving Teaching and Learning in Physical Education' and '101 Classroom Games'.

What’s covered in the episode?

His life changing time in Australia, completing a masters, teaching, researching at University of Western Australia and travelling
How physical activity offers enjoyment, stress relief and the opportunity to socialise
How his father’s leadership traits of being friendly, supportive, and respectful helped him shape his leadership
The importance of accepting that rarely things go 100% to plan, so it’s vital to reflect on performance and move forward with an open mindset and desire to improve
How organisations in the sector can harness the power of social media to support young people

In episode 9 of The Active Code hosts Paul and Luke are joined by Andrew Bode, director at Kanga Sports.

Who’s Andrew Bode?

Andrew began as a secondary school PE teacher, having gained a PGCE in Physical Education after studying Sport and Exercise Science.

In 2013, Andrew founded Kanga Sports, an award-winning sport and education provider based in North Yorkshire. Knowing the importance of physical activity to children’s health and wellbeing, Kanga Sports aims to create a love of sports that lasts a lifetime.

What’s covered in the episode?

· How Andrew creates a collaborative approach and team mentality at Kanga Sports

· Andrew’s belief that PE is about the participation of all, not the excellence of a few

· How physical activity can and has helped Andrew’s mental and physical health

In episode 8 of The Active Code hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined by directors at Dream Big Sports, Dillan O’Connor and Dale Harris.

Who are Dillan and Dale?

Dillan and Dale are directors at Dream Big Sports, a not-for-profit organisation based in the North West.

Dream Big Sports provides sporting and educational opportunities to disadvantaged young people to make their hopes, ambitions and dreams a reality.

Dillan and Dale are also co-founders and directors at Active Education Co. recognising the need for high-quality physical activity provision to inspire the next generation to lead active lives.

Through a wealth of resources, training and content, Active Education Co. develops the knowledge, confidence and skill of those within the education sector to champion health, wellbeing and physical activity.

What’s discussed in this episode?

· How a meeting over a cup of coffee led to their successes

· Why it’s important to reflect on success as well as innovate to move forwards

· How organisations can break down barriers to physical activity, such as access, travel and equipment

· What strategy is used at Dream Big Sports to develop stronger team members

· How other sectors use data more effectively and why “not assessing is guessing” when it comes to understanding physical activity trends

In episode 7 of The Active Code hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined by founder of Physical Education and Active Kids (PEAK), Dave Johnson.

Who’s Dave Johnson?

From London all the way up to Newcastle, Dave Johnson has inspired children and young people.

Dave is founder of Physical Education and Active Kids (PEAK). PEAK works with schools to provide high-quality PE delivery, training, support and resources to ensure children have access to outstanding physical activity opportunities.

Before founding PEAK in 2014, Dave had been a primary teacher, assistant head of a secondary school, Olympic Legacy Development Officer and Regional Manager of the Sport England initiative ‘Engage to compete’.

Dave’s roles combine to give him a depth of industry knowledge which he shares in episode 7 of The Active Code.

What’s covered in this episode?

· Dave’s experience of a leader who allowed autonomy and held shared values

· How Dave leads his organisation to engage more children and young people each year

The training and experiences teachers and coaches need in order to inspire in pupils a life-long interest in sport and physical activity

· How Dave empowers his team to make the right decisions

In episode 6 of The Active Code hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined by founding director of Raceways Events C.I.C Martine Verweij.

Who’s Martine Verweij?

Martine is on a mission to get kids moving!

With a strong sporting background which includes having competed for Great Britain and the Netherlands as an age-group athlete in cyclo-cross and triathlon, Martine understands the value of physical activity.

As founding director of Raceways Events C.I.C and founding CEO of Kids Run Free, Martine inspires others to get active.

The charity Kids Run Free offers two programmes, Kids Run Free in the Park and Marathon Kids designed for primary schools. Creating fun, sustainable running opportunities for 0-16 year olds, Kids Run free aims to ignite a passion for sports and physical activity in children and young people, enabling them to become happier, healthier and more confident.

What’s discussed in the episode?

· Where Martine’s love of physical activity comes from

· Martine’s long-distance endurance challenges

· Lessons to be learnt from the gaming industry to make physical activity accessible for all

· How to remove barriers that prevent many children and young people participating in physical activity

In episode 5 of The Active Code, hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined by co-founder of miMove app, Greg Dryer.

Who’s Greg Dryer?

Greg is a university lecturer, qualified teacher, business owner and former senior tutor at Youth Sports Trust.

Greg is the founder of a ground-breaking activity monitoring app for schools and organisations. miMove app allows teachers, parents and coaches to support young people with making physical activity a regular part of their lives.

By transforming teaching and coaching practices to break down barriers, Greg’s vision is to make all forms of physical activity available to all young people.

What’s discussed in this episode?

· The sector’s responsibility to measure physical activity levels

· The value of data in improving physical activity levels

· The importance of organisations having unwavering faith in what they do in order to improve

In episode 4 of The Active Code hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined by Ben Kirk, founder and director of Inspired Schools and Inspired Somerset.

Ben’s early career comprised secondary school teaching and playing semi-professional football.

Ben’s passion for both vocations combined to form his following venture, being founder and director of Inspired Schools and Inspired Somerset. With a vision to create healthier and happier schools across the UK, Inspired Schools and Inspired Somerset aim to reduce childhood obesity by getting children and families active.

What do Ben, Paul and Luke discuss in this episode?

Ben’s struggle to balance being a teacher and semi-professional footballer
Ben’s decision to leave teaching and run his own business
Why Ben champions an active lunchbreak
The leadership lessons Ben’s learnt from authors including Daniel Priestley and Paul Dix
The readiness of headteachers to share their PE and sport premium spend and its impact
Key advice for organisations in the education sector, including the value of collaboration

In episode 3 of The Active Code hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined by Mim Telfer, co-founder and director of The PE Hub.

Mim Telfer is a qualified teacher with a degree from the University of Birmingham, Mim taught primary and secondary education for several years before setting up The PE Hub in 2014. The PE Hub offers a comprehensive library of pre-planned lessons and videos, supporting teachers to realise their potential as educators and deliver the high-quality PE lessons pupils need to lead active lives.

In the episode they discuss:

· How Mim went from qualified teacher, to director of a sports coaching business, to founder of the leading online PE platform for schools

· Why physical activity is important to Mim and the benefits it brings

· Why small companies should focus on their specialist area rather than attempt to master it all

· Why future planning is vital for Mim and her business moving forward

· The benefits of bringing in specialist employees from outside an organisation

· Why using sports personalities to promote PE may not be the answer to improving industry standards

In episode 2 of The Active Code hosts Paul Griffiths and Luke Johnson are joined by Mark Tonks, Regional Director of LMI-UK and founder of Orange and Blue UK.

Who’s Mark Tonks?

Mark brings 20 years of practical hands-on experience in leadership and management.

Having spent 17 years delivering leadership development and training to businesses as part of the global Leadership Management International organisation, Mark set up Orange and Blue in 2017.

Orange and Blue offer a variety of training, assessment and coaching to businesses of all sizes, supporting organisation growth through workforce development.

The three will be covering:

· The personal and professional attributes Mark gained from his early days as a rugby player

· What leadership qualities Mark values and practises

· How to encourage those uninterested in sport to lead physically active lives

· The people who have most inspired Mark

· Why Mark always asks leaders the tough question: “Is your team’s negative performance because of your team or how you lead them?”

· Mark’s simple but essential strategy leaders can use to gain feedback

The first episode sees hosts Luke and Paul from Aspire Active Partnerships joined by Director of Moving Matters, Rob Wilkinson.

Rob talks about how he went from studying Sociology to being director of two businesses, his experience as a semi-professional footballer, the managers that inspired his success, how his colleagues describe him, plus his take on the competitive landscape and a divided sector.