If you are going to entrust a consultancy with your project, you need the best possible team alongside you. Our Directors are some of the UK’s most respected experts in their field – people you can trust with your reputation.
Our senior people are some of the UK’s most respected experts in their field. Collectively we have long experience and a deep understanding of sport and physical activity strategy development, facility planning, park and open space masterplans, feasibility studies and business plan development, management model options appraisals, leisure operator procurement and leisure operational partnership development.
You will find our senior team to be politically savvy and highly experienced in dealing with complexity. We operate comfortably at elected member/board level but equally well within communities. Our junior staff are very bright and apply their learning every day, supported by senior colleagues, regular CPD sessions and training. Our clients tell us we have a great team. We hand-picked them for that very reason.
Most importantly, the SLC team share the same values and passion for the sector as our clients. Caring deeply about what we do is a key feature of our work and our clients tell us that it shows.
Richard Leman OBE
Chairman
What’s working with Richard like?
“Richard’s leadership style is pragmatic, results based and built on a lifetime’s achievements in sport as a Gold Medalist Olympian and as a business leader.”
Contact Richard by email here or by calling 07968 156654.
Richard Leman joined SLC as Chairman in January 2017. Richard’s role at SLC is to provide support and direction for Duncan and the SLC management team as the company develops and broadens its range of strategic, feasibility, procurement and advisory services.
Richard worked with SLC in an advisory capacity in 2013 and has developed a firm understanding of the business, its people and the values that set SLC apart from its competitors.
In his business career, he has founded several businesses in the recruitment sector and his first company, Olympian Consultancy, was listed as 8th in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 companies for 1999. In the same year, Richard won the Durlacher Executive of the Year Award, and was the runner-up Sussex Businessman of the Year. He is currently Chairman of Gold Group Recruitment, a technology and engineering recruitment firm working with companies across the globe.
A former Hockey international, career highlights include winning Olympic Bronze in Los Angeles, 1984 and Olympic Gold in Seoul, 1988. He won a total of 228 caps and was Player of the Year in 1984. Richard is also Chairman of Great Britain Hockey, a member of the Sport England South East Regional Board and Chairman of East Grinstead Sports Club Charity.
Richard was awarded Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s 2018 Birthday Honours List. Richard received the honour for “Services to Hockey” due to the incredible service he has given to hockey in Great Britain at a local, national and international level.
Duncan Wood-Allum
Managing Director
What’s working with Duncan like?
“Working with Duncan is such a positive experience. He actively listens, challenges constructively and focuses solely on the outcomes the client wants. He has a unique ability to communicate effectively with senior politicians, board-level directors and senior officers, supporting them through tough decisions. Combine that with a down-to-earth approach, relaxed management style and passion for the sector, it’s no wonder his projects deliver every time.”
Contact Duncan by email here or by calling 07930 549580.
Duncan is one of the leading strategic advisers to the sport and leisure sector. With a Henley MBA, his 30-year career spans working in inner-city sports facilities, schools, local government, central government, niche and FTSE 100 blue-chip consultancies. He has an unrivalled reputation for supporting organisations in developing their strategies. He understands the whole leisure facility development lifecycle because he has established and run several community sports and leisure facilities. Duncan has played a key role in the development of Quest™, the quality scheme for the UK sport and leisure sector.
His input to new facility developments results in great design, the right facility mix and a sustainable operating model. His strategic advice to clients is resulting in £ millions of savings and vastly improved service outcomes. Duncan understands the role the sector can play in delivering public health outcomes and has been a leading advocate for greater collaboration. He continues to champion accessible, efficient and sustainable public sport and leisure services.
Duncan is a sought-after speaker at events and is the author of thought-provoking and challenging articles that have been published in all major leisure and government journals, including Leisure Management, the Leisure Review and the Municipal Journal.
Duncan is a former youth hockey international and is now an active cyclist. He also umpires and coaches at his local hockey club.
David Rushton
Director
What’s working with David like?
“Working with David provides clients with total confidence and assurance that they’re in the right hands. His methodical approach to planning complex management options appraisals, leisure operational partnerships and procurements, taking clients on every step of the journey, is fantastic. His relationships with, and knowledge of, the leisure operator market is unrivalled. He is accessible and happy to walk through any aspect of the project with clients, which provides them with real comfort. He has a great sense of humour and works brilliantly with elected members and senior stakeholders.”
Contact David by email here or by calling 07780 437753.
David has over 25 years’ experience in the sport, leisure and culture sector. He has particular expertise in delivering sustainable sport and leisure services further enhanced by being the lead author of Sport England’s Leisure Services Delivery Guidance, which will replace and enhance the Procurement Toolkit in early 2019. The new guidance covers all aspects of delivery from strategy, options appraisal and strategic delivery including through procurement, in-house and local trust management models.
David has led on a number of SLC’s transformation and procurement projects delivering millions in savings for local authorities, schools and third sector organisations.
David has 10 years’ management experience with two of the UK’s leading leisure operators in business development roles. He also spent 10 years at the Audit Commission, inspecting leisure and cultural services in over 60 local authorities.
David brings this unique experience to his work on SLC’s leisure procurement projects and he is leading SLC’s development of better contracts and significantly improved financial outcomes for SLC’s clients.
David’s his spare time is focused on hockey, tennis and swimming, whether coaching hockey or supporting his children’s sporting interests. He has been a club volunteer for over 30 years.
Toby Kingsbury
Director
What’s working with Toby like?
“Toby brings a calm and considered approach to any project he leads. The relationships that he develops with clients are built on trust and his high quality and consistency of delivery. He can cope with unexpected issues and challenges, smoothing the way for the project and managing risks proactively. An excellent listener and methodical project manager, he offers a unique blend of talent, rigour and balance. If you have a tough project to deliver, Toby’s a natural choice.”
Contact Toby by email here or by calling 07876 033830.
Toby has a unique blend of operational experience, proven leisure facility development and leisure procurement expertise gained through several roles in local government prior to joining SLC in 2015.
He has led a number of leisure procurement, feasibility and masterplanning projects for SLC and has developed an excellent reputation with clients across the sector.
Over the last 15 years Toby has developed his career through a series of major operational roles linked to achieving a MBA in Sports Management.
Toby has a reputation within the leisure sector as an innovative, forward-thinker with an exceptional eye for detail and impeccable project management. He is highly skilled at managing senior stakeholders and his commitment to high quality outputs and ability to establish strong working relationships with clients has led to consistently good feedback.
Toby’s breadth of understanding of the leisure sport and physical activity sector combined with highly developed consulting skills means that he adds significant value to any project he’s involved with.
Toby regularly writes articles for national leisure journals and outside work Toby’s main interests involve spending time with his family, coaching and playing for Findon Cricket Club.
Anna Dalton
Principal Consultant and Business Manager
What’s working with Anna like?
“Anna’s working style is understated and calm. She provides high-quality detailed analysis of complex issues and scenarios. Her ability to work effectively in a team ensures that our clients get the very best outcome. Anna has a sharp intellect with the ability to take a complex problem, break it down and simplify it. Her consulting skills are superb.”
Contact Anna by email here or by calling 07730 565553.
A graduate of University College London, Anna joined SLC in 2012 as a Research Consultant before progressing quickly to her current role of Principal Consultant and Business Manager. As a certified PRINCE2 practitioner Anna leads SLC’s approach to project management and she has successfully delivered over 100 projects for SLC. Responsible for SLC’s ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification and overseeing all quality processes in the company, Anna has deep experience in SLC’s three core areas of strategy, feasibility and procurement.
Anna has played a key role in the development of SLC’s Insight Research Toolkit and GIS tools, supporting SLC’s robust supply and demand audits, market research and demographic profiling. She also supports SLC’s business planning, financial modelling and analysis work.
In her spare time Anna is a keen cyclist, cycling in the UK and across Europe.
Caroline Brooks
Principal Consultant
What’s working with Caroline like?
“Caroline’s deep experience as a leisure consultant combined with her strong project management skills ensures her projects are delivered to a high level of quality. She has excellent communication skills and is a pleasure to work with.”
Contact Caroline by email here or by calling 07585 953162.
Caroline has over 17 years’ experience in the sport, leisure and culture sector and has worked for several other private sector leisure consultancies and in the public sector more recently for London Sport.
Caroline began her career as a Research Consultant and progressed through her career to Consultant, Senior Consultant and is now a Principal Consultant with SLC. Caroline therefore fully understands all aspects to consultancy projects from basic research tasks through to managing multi-disciplinary teams and delivering high quality reports for clients. This makes Caroline both a great team player and project manager.
Throughout her career Caroline has built up a strong reputation, in particular as a key advisor on facility improvement projects and securing grant funding. Caroline is also a specialist in asset transfers and site acquisitions.
Caroline’s clients include Sport England, National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Authorities, Charitable Trusts, Housing Developers, County Sport Partnerships and local community and sports organisations.
Whilst at London Sport, Caroline was Chair of the London Leisure Forum which had representation on it by all London Boroughs and was attended by Senior Leisure Officers and those with a responsibility for managing major leisure centre contracts with operators.
Michelle Payne
Research Consultant
What’s working with Michelle like?
“Michelle is a breath of fresh air to work with. She is an enthusiastic, highly capable and motivated individual. Her ability to find solutions to complex problems is second to none. She never fails to have a positive attitude to every single task she undertakes. Michelle’s organisation and communication skills are outstanding and she has developed excellent relationships with our clients.”
Contact Michelle by email here or by calling 07557 117830.
Michelle Payne joined SLC in 2019, having previously worked as a secondary school mathematics and games teacher. Michelle graduated from Loughborough with a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences.
Michelle has been involved in club sport throughout her life and is currently a qualified cricket coach, Ladies Club Captain and Director of her local hockey club. She has a strong understanding of community sport and leisure and is a highly analytical and systematic problem solver with excellent communication skills and experience of managing challenging stakeholders.
Michelle is currently supporting Ebbsfleet Development Corporation on a Sports Participation and Physical Activity Strategy for Ebbsfleet Garden City and two leisure procurements.
Overall, Michelle plays a key role in project support and delivery for multiple SLC projects.
Moira Welch
Office Manager
What’s working with Moira like?
“Moira supports the SLC team brilliantly to enable us to focus 100% on our clients. She’s always calm and ensures both the consultant team and clients get the very best levels of service. She’s a star.”
Contact Moira by email here or by calling 01444 459927.
Moira joined SLC in 2018 as the Office Manager. She is a graduate of Sussex University and Birkbeck College in London, and has a background in Arts Policy and Management.
Moira ensures that SLC’s administration is smooth and professional, something both clients and the SLC team really appreciate.
Prior to joining SLC, Moira worked in the non-profit sector, providing high-level project and communications support across a range of organisations in the UK and abroad, such as The Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) and UNESCO.
In her spare time, Moira enjoys exploring Sussex, especially hiking along the South Downs Way.
Our Associates
Paul Weston
Associate – Architect
Paul is one the most respected architects in the sport and leisure sector. He has more than 30 years’ specific experience of designing and delivering swimming pools and leisure centres, principally in the public sector, including liaison with public and private operators and trusts. He works closely with clients to guide and advise them from the feasibility stage through to procurement, design, project management and delivery. Paul ensures that his strong beliefs in innovation, collaborative working and delivering client satisfaction are communicated clearly to members of the design and construction team on all his projects.
Paul has been SLC’s lead architect since 2009 and has worked on a number of our most recent projects, including Girvan Pool, Scaltback Community Hub, St Johns School, Maccabi London Brady, Chelmsford Riverside Centre, One NK at North Hykeham and Perdiswell Leisure Centre, Worcester (the latter two projects in collaboration with NORR Architects).
Paul French
Associate – Building Surveying
Set Square Surveyors – Asset Management
Paul works extensively with both public and private sector clients, providing property-related solutions and advice to maximise the potential of property holdings. Paul has particular experience in providing pre-acquisition advice, ranging from single-building purchases to large portfolio investments, dilapidations strategy and resolution, asset management and maintenance planning.
Paul and his team at Set Square provide leisure-specific advice to SLC clients in relation to facilities and asset management, including end-of-contract and re-procurement issues.
William Culver-Dodds
Associate – Culture
William Culver Dodds is one of UK’s leading cultural consultants. He undertakes feasibility studies, demand analysis and options appraisals for cultural projects. William has developed successful income-generation strategies and fundraising for cultural projects and programmes. He also supports organisational development and governance in the cultural sector.
William has a highly regarded track record across a range of cultural projects and services and has been a longstanding Associate of SLC.
William has worked with SLC on the development of the Derby Silk Mill which has undergone a transformation and a number of cultural projects in North Kesteven.
Dave Austin
Associate – Accountant
Dave has over 30 years’ experience in public sector finance and project accounting. He has an extensive track record of successful projects, including nationally recognised projects for central government, charities, and local government.
In the sport, leisure and culture sector, he has been involved with all aspects of facility and service reviews, assessing options, viability, working up business cases, and delivering the resulting projects. This work with clients has led to improved services, facilities, and realised significant savings. Other expertise includes Financial Modelling, procurement evaluation, and contract negotiations.
Dave specialises in working with clients on options appraisals, funding, and affordability issues. As a public finance accountant with extensive experience he understands client requirements and working practices, and clients trust, recommend, and repeat commission him.
In his spare time, Dave is a keen runner, seeking off road routes around the West Midlands and further afield. He plays tennis, tries to kayak, and watches his kids play a variety of sports including football, rugby, netball and hockey. He is also involved in voluntary work as a Debt Adviser, and with the charity Care for the Family.
John Button
Associate – Cost Consultant
John became a senior partner of Castons in 1995 and has considerable experience in all aspects of the construction industry, concentrating on the provision of quantity surveying and project management services. John specialises in the leisure, health, education, and community sectors, working closely with Paul Weston on all SLC’s design feasibility studies. His experience in providing accurate risk estimates and cost profiles sets Castons apart from other cost consultants.
As a past chairman of the RICS East Anglia branch quantity surveying division, John is keen to improve the image of the construction industry within the business community. Castons have been SLC’s preferred cost consultant since 2009.
Sharon Bayton
Associate – Sport and Leisure
Sharon Bayton is a leading authority and highly respected expert on strategic planning for leisure in the UK. During a career spanning over 30 years she has worked on a wide range of projects and programmes and led a number of commercial and voluntary organisations through change that has led to growth and commercial success.
Sharon is an experienced Town Planner (MRTPI), MBA, project and management consultant. She is exceptional leader who has held several senior management positions, comfortable working directly to Boards of Directors and Chief Executives.
Using the approved Sport England guidance, assessing needs and opportunities guide for indoor and outdoor sports facilities (ANOG), Sharon has been working on indoor sport and built facility studies for local government including:
- West Lancashire Borough Council
- London Borough of Camden
- Kirklees Council
- Salford Council
- London Borough of Havering
- Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
- Medway Council
- Winchester City Council
- Expert advisor to Sport England on National Lottery funding applications
- Case assessor for Community Asset Funding (CAF) programme.
Alun Bond
Associate – Culture
Alun has over 30 years’ experience in the arts and culture sector as is recognised as one of the UK’s leading arts consultants. As part of his arts management and planning consultancy Artservice, he has worked with over thirty local authorities, four Arts Councils and several universities and arts organisations. Before he started his consultancy, Alun has worked for the public sector as Head of Performing Arts for West Midland Arts and Northern Arts.
Alun has undertaken a wide range of work including national / regional research studies and audits, local authority arts audits and strategies, organisational reviews, organisational development plans, business plans, feasibility studies into new building developments, policy and organisational reviews, evaluations; and strategic planning studies for arts funding bodies.
Alun has held multiple positions in the sector including a committee member, national adviser and the Lottery Capital Assessor for the Arts Council of Wales, and the drama adviser and lottery assessor for the Arts Council England.
Richard Lewis
Associate – Sport and Leisure
Richard is based in Yorkshire and is an experienced and dedicated Sport and Leisure professional.
He has 9 years experience of working as a Principal Consultant, with over 30 years varied experience of working within the Sport and Leisure sector in various senior and strategic roles. Richard has significant experience of delivery of:
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- Leisure outsourcing procurement of local authority contracts
- Detailed Business Planning for leisure facilities
- Strategic planning and development of leisure, culture and health & well-being projects
- Developing new build facilities for a range of public, private and third sector clients
- Production of various strategies such as indoor facility strategies, National Sports Strategies and Sport and Physical Activity Strategies
- Significant experience of working with Universities and other higher education institutes to successful develop their leisure facilities and service offer
- Delivery of numerous options appraisals for local authority clients.
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