NEWS
Partnership welcomes new Trustee
The Bambisanani Partnership has recently appointed Peter Iliff as a new Trustee to help run the charity.
Peter Iliff
With a rich career in leadership across both healthcare and commercial settings, Peter brings a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for using sport, education and leadership as tools for positive change. He is currently on a secondment programme funded by NHS England, developing an apprenticeship pathway for established clinicians to enhance their knowledge and improve the level of care provided for NHS patients.
As a qualified orthotist, Peter has held senior roles in both the private and not-for-profit sectors, with a strong track record in managing programmes that foster partnership and optimise team performance. His expertise spans business planning, governance oversight and marketing across the UK. In addition, Peter has many years of experience coaching and developing young players within grassroots sport. He is deeply committed to making a difference in communities through learning, collaboration and empowerment.
Peter said, “I’m honoured to join the Bambisanani Partnership and look forward to working alongside its dedicated volunteers, partner schools and students in the UK and South Africa. I’m inspired by the way the partnership uses sport to nurture leadership, teamwork and educational opportunities. I’m excited to contribute my experience and energy to help the organisation deepen its impact and explore new opportunities, so that the number of young people involved, in both the UK and KZN, continues to increase.”
David Geldart, Founder and CEO of the charity added: ”We are absolutely delighted to welcome Peter to the team. Organisations tend to be either going forward or going backwards. Peter has a proven track record of impact and brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm that will help us push on to achieve even more in the future, not least to deliver our most ambitious programme to date in 2026.”
Run entirely by volunteers the Bambisanani Partnership is a multi-award-winning charity that has gained international acclaim for its work using the power of sport and education to connect young people in the UK and South Africa. Over the past 19 years, the partnership has engaged more than 34,000 young people and 60 educational institutions from both countries in its various projects and programmes.
Peter will join the existing Board of Trustees of David Geldart, Barbara Pounder, Darren Beardsley, Brogan O’Connor, Margaret Hattersley and Richard Giles.
The Bambisanani Partnership has this week appointed Richard Giles to its Board of Trustees.
Richard is the Chairman of the highly successful Ilkley Town Community Football Club and former partner at PwC.
Richard is the Chairman of the highly successful Ilkley Town Community Football Club and former partner at PwC.
With over thirty years’ experience in business and finance, at the very highest-level, Richard also has an exceptional record working in both education and sport development. As a Board member he has vast experience of working at national, regional and local level in a variety of settings.
Richard Giles
Richard said: I am absolutely delighted to be joining the board of the Bambisanani Partnership. It is a brilliant Charity that through its focus on sport and education has a transformative impact on the lives of the people and communities in South Africa and also the students from the UK that are involved in its programmes. Some years ago, one of my own children was part of the Bambisanani group from St. Mary’s School to visit South Africa. He came back a different person with a much wider understanding of the world and its different challenges. I believe my experience in business and community sport can help the Partnership in the next stage of its development. Working with many Boards in different roles has given me the experience of working in partnership with many stakeholders to achieve results. It also gives me an understanding of the importance of governance and the role of non-executives in providing oversight to management. I am really excited at the prospect of contributing to an organisation that genuinely does change lives and the way that young people, in both countries, see and engage with the wider world.”
David Geldart, Founder and Chairman of the Bambisanani Partnership added, “Richard is vastly experienced in working with and developing high performance teams in a variety of contexts. He absolutely understands what we are about as a charity and is keen to play his part in helping us have an even greater impact in the future. Richard recognises, and is highly motivated by, the enormous potential of sport to make a positive difference in the world. He is both passionate and proactive about this and we know that he will be a great asset to the team as we embark on our most ambitious plans to date.”
New Trustee appointment for Bambisanani Partnership
The Bambisanani Partnership has recently appointed Brogan O’Connor as a Trustee of the charity.
The Bambisanani Partnership has recently appointed Brogan O’Connor as a Trustee of the charity.
Brogan O'Connor Bambisanani Partnership Trustee
Brogan has been involved in the work of the partnership ever since visiting South Africa as a St. Mary’s School student. Her exceptional work as a Bambisanani volunteer in South Africa was recognised by her being awarded the prestigious Sbonelo Magwaza Award for ‘Outstanding Leadership’. Whilst at Northumbria University Brogan developed her passion for sport and international development by returning to Africa several times both as a volunteer and leader of volunteers. At university she held key leadership roles including being elected Student Sport President and Board Member of the Northumbria Sport Foundation. She went on to become the youngest Student Sport Participation Manager ever appointed at the university.
A clearly delighted Brogan said: “The Bambisanani Partnership is a charity that I support wholeheartedly, ever since my first visit to South Africa as a St. Mary’s student in 2011. In the 9 years since my visit to Mnyakanya I have remained in touch with the partnership and followed its work closely; I continue to be impressed and inspired by the amazing work being done between two brilliant communities. I couldn’t be more proud to be appointed as a Trustee and I am looking forward to working closely with the rest of the team to continue the amazing work the partnership does day in day out!”
Bambisanani Founder and Chairman, David Geldart added: “Quite simply Brogan is an outstanding young women who will bring much the partnership. Her exceptional track record in international volunteering, sport development and charity governance will enable her to make a significant contribution to the team who are committed to extending our work in one of South Africa’s most deprived areas using sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership. Brogan is both an outstanding leader and team player; her experience, ability and enthusiasm will enable us to have even greater impact in the future. Positive, proactive people that care always make a difference and we look forward to working with her.”
Brogan will join existing Board Members David Geldart, Darren Beardsley, Barbara Pounder, Andrew Lockwood and David Thorpe.
Bambisanani volunteer becomes trustee [WHAREFDALE OBSERVER]
Bambisanani volunteer becomes trustee [CATHOLIC UNIVERSE]
— The Bambisanani Partnership (@BambisananiPart) December 1, 2020
New Trustee for Bambisanani Partnership Board
David Thorpe has recently joined the Bambisanani Partnership charity Board of Trustees. A former St. Mary’s Menston student, David attended the London School of Economics before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant.
David Thorpe has recently joined the Bambisanani Partnership charity Board of Trustees. A former St. Mary’s Menston student, David attended the London School of Economics before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant.
David Thorpe, Bambisanani Partnership Trustee
With vast experience working in both the Public and Private sectors, at Senior and Chief Executive level, he has operated nationally and internationally including working with Government Departments.
Clearly delighted with his appointment David said:
“I have joined the Bambisanani Partnership Board because I have been inspired by the accomplishments of the partnership and the life changing impact it has had on both the communities in South Africa and in Leeds through St Mary’s School, Leeds Trinity University and the University of Leeds. As a practising catholic I aspire to make a difference and through the invaluable work the charity is pursuing I believe this represents an opportunity to contribute to changing the lives of those most in need. I strongly believe in the values that the Bambisanani Board upholds, such as teamwork, dedication and above all creating opportunities through sport and education. It is these values that I believe have been fundamental to the partnership’s success and look forward to playing an active role in shaping the future of the project.”
Bambisanani Founder and Chairman, David Geldart said:
“It is absolutely wonderful to have David join the team. He has the expertise, experience, motivation and commitment to help take the charity to the next level. We have ambitious plans for the future that will expand and extend our work in one of South Africa’s most deprived areas using sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership; David’s appointment brings us a step nearer to achieving this.”
David will join existing Board Members David Geldart, Darren Beardsley, Barbara Pounder, Diane Maguire and Andrew Lockwood who lead the work of the charity.
