OUR TEAM
John Manitara
CEO, Director and Volunteer
John was born in Islington and brought up in Merseyside, raised by my Greek parents. Despite growing up in a tough and challenging environment he managed to progress at school and graduated at university. His career started off in hotel management and then adapted and progressed to successfully running a leading London fashion company with a multi-million-pound turnover per year, with over 80% export. He then made the bold, yet life changing move to found Sporting Inspirations CIC to give back and make a positive difference to transform young people’s lives.
From his life experiences, he is driven and passionate that children and young people should achieve their aspirations, whilst improving their health and lifestyles, no matter what their abilities. He loves sports and throughout his life have done an extensive amount of voluntary work and still do! Additionally, he has over fourteen years’ experience as a governor/director at John Warner School in Hoddesdon.
His key roles have been setting up the company strategies and being the chief instigator in attracting funding, partnership building and networking. I have set up many award-winning projects that have transformed the lives of the young people and the communities they live in, especially working closely with housing associations which share the same ethos and synergy. This is all down to teamwork and being part of a strong and positive partnership network. We have an amazing team of all backgrounds at Sporting Inspirations CIC!
He shares his life experiences by giving motivational talks with the Prince's Trust and other partner agencies, to help inspire young people to maximise their potential. His knowledge has helped me to adapt and become versatile with a strong-willed survival instinct despite many obstacles that we face in life, such as the recent pandemic. I believe, where there’s light, there is always a way!
He has a professional yet humorous approach to life and he can speak four different languages, plus Scouse! I am a lifelong Arsenal fan and season ticket holder for over 30 years, despite growing up on Merseyside. However, his guilty pleasure is supporting his beloved Tranmere Rovers to maintain my Merseyside connection!
Gary Richardson
Trainer
Andrew Anastasiou
Consultancy and Leadership Training Expert
Andrew joins Goods for Good with an impressive track record of involvement in organisations that use sport for social good to support children, young people and their families who are experiencing inequalities.
Andrew has a deep first hand knowledge of the issues facing these communities, working as a counsellor for ChildLine, mentoring young people with Special Educational Needs and from personal family experiences.
Andrew has had a varied career starting out in the industrial chemicals industry with blue chip corporates and then in high technology consulting before he changed career path and founded one of the first community interest companies in the UK, including co-founding Sporting Inspirations CIC with John Manitara. As CEO for 12 years, he led an organisation who were highly successful in using sport as a mechanism to transform the lives of young people in deprived areas.
Andrew has served as the Strategic Lead for the national charity StreetGames, in London and the East of England, and has been leading projects tackling food poverty, serious violence, hate crime, community development and health inequalities, and was CEO for a youth mental health charity. More recently, Andrew is bringing his expertise and insight to other organisations such as The Alliance of Sport in criminal justice and in a Non-Executive capacity with Team Police.
Andrew brings his extensive knowledge across a range of sectors in strengthening partnership development, growing income, and marketing and communications.
Russell Cairns
Chief Operating Officer
Russell was born in Edinburgh and raised in East Lothian, Scotland. Following school, he spent four years in Glasgow where he graduated with a first -class honours degree in Community Education. It was during this period that Russell’s passion and skills in working with young people and communities started to stand out and he worked with many disadvantaged groups in some of the poorest areas within the UK.
Following graduation Russell moved south to work for Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People (SFYP).
He worked for SFYP for 24 years - 6 years as an Area Youth Worker and then 18 years as a Youth Work Team Leader/Practice Manager.
During his time at the County Council Russell gained expensive experience of delivering and managing youth work provision including SEND provision, detached work, work to vulnerable groups including young carers, asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ and young people from deprived areas, residentials and young people missing education. He won the HCC Children’s Service’s Practitioner of the Year Award in 2017 and was also nominated for the Manager of the Year Award in 2018.
Russell’s expertise in supporting young people to achieve their potential was highlighted in 2024 when his name was mentioned in the house of commons, when Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Bishop's Stortford spoke about the impact that he had made to him in his maiden parliamentary speech:
‘ I would not have found the path that was right for me had it not been for the inspirational work of our youth clubs in Hertford and Bishop’s Stortford. I have experienced first- hand the difference that their work makes to the lives of our young people, and I can say with confidence that had it not been for the support and guidance of a youth worker named Russell Cairns, I would not be in this chamber today.’
Russell joined the Sporting Inspirations team in 2024. He enjoys an active lifestyle including swimming, running and walking and relaxes through reading, baking and watching live football.
He is always happy to give anything ago and is still very much proud of his Scottish hertitage!
Kumiko Yokouchi
Digital Community Manager
Kumiko has been involved in the charity sector for over 20 years. She is the Community Digital Manager for the Sporting Inspirations CIC in November 2021. Her passion is to support the communities to improve their general well-being.
She is a multi-tasker and acquire a variety of skills from Administration, manage the websites and social media platforms on behalf of the charity organisations as well as Project and Event Management and many more.
Additional to the Sporting Inspirations CIC work, she is also currently involved in a charity organisation based in London who supports the local communities for tackling the food hunger and social isolation. She coordinated over 900 volunteers last year from both corporate groups and individual volunteers for the 3 community canteens in South London.
Her contributions towards as the Volunteer Coordinator which positively impacted to estasblishing the good relationship with the volunteers and project partners/supporters (the corporates).
These resulted in the organisation to raise substantial amount of the sponsorship/fund to support the charity and the community canteen project to sustain the three community canteens in South London to support over 5000 service users per last year.
Starlena Green
Activity Leader for East Herts
Multi-sports
Pierre
Henry-Fontaine
Activity Leader for East Herts Multi-Sports
Pierre Henry Fontaine is a confident and highly resourceful individual with over twelve years of experience in the private care sector (specialising in clients with Autism). Over the last decade, he has devised and run programs, which utilise sports as their foundation to increase the mental, physical and social confidence of his client base.
As part of his Sports Zone project (commissioned by Dimensions), he has implemented a MATP (Motor Assisted Training Program) to improve and develop young peoples fine motor skills, special awareness and social confidence using sports equipment and activities.
Pierre discovered his love for basketball at the age of 11 years old after seeing an image of Michael Cooper (former Lakers player) performing a dunk. Pierre decided that he wanted to re-enact the trick and started to explore the sport. An older friend of his (Anton Fraser) was an avid player and Pierre used to watch his every move and admire his skill with the ball.
He began practicing everyday with his younger brother and honed his skills which lead him to be selected to join a local team Bromyard Blitz at 12 years old. Through his passion and determination, Pierre impressed his coaches and scouts alike and progressed from the local league to London Towers U15 team. After impressing his coach, Pierre transferred to the Chessington Wild Cats at 15 and played for their U17 and U19 teams and then onto the Ealing Tornados U17 team where his skill and talent became the talk of the basketball community.
At 16 years old Pierre was invited to the premier basketball tournament; 'Rough & Ready' where the best players from across the UK came to compete - on his debut appearance Pierre helped to lead his U17 team to victory.
At 19 years old Pierre was drafted to play for Philadelphia Christian Academy in the US and following the season he returned to London to play for his home team Ealing Tornados U20s and Men’s Div.3 winning the Div. 3 championships that year. After returning from his 2nd season in the US at Bossier Community College, Pierre was recruited to the England Men’s team and travelled across Europe representing his country in preparation for the Commonwealth Games 2005. He also went on to play two seasons at Milton Keynes Lions now called London Lions (BBL).
Pierre went on to win the prestigious Midnight Madness Competition in association with Nike a total of 4 times and he is regarded as one of the best players to ever grace the Midnight Madness stage.
Following his retirement as a professional basketball player, he went on to coach young aspiring players at the University of West London both men’s and Women’s teams. He also works for sporting inspirations as a mentor at a Pupil referral unit as well as providing half term activities in partnership with Hertfordshire Council for disadvantaged youth. Pierre is also a qualified personal trainer/ life performance coaching training professional athletes, people with disabilities and your everyday person with health and fitness goals. Pierre also works as a private chef and also works in partnership with Sports for Champions as an Athlete ambassador promoting health and fitness sessions to inspire the next generation.
Tariq Khan
Activity Leader
Tariq has over 30 years experience working with children and young people as a Sports Leader, Youth Worker and Play Leader. He has a great enthusiasm and passion for sport and has played for and coached a number of local football teams in North London and Hertfordshire. Tariq is a Teaching Assistant at a secondary school working with children who require special educational needs and helping them to realise their full potential and become positive role models.
Tariq is a qualified Level 2 football coach and has also played a number of other sports to a high standard these include, cricket, table tennis, badminton, volleyball, tennis, handball and weight-training.
Tariq has also completed several other relevant and related courses which include, Safeguarding & Protecting Children, Managing Behaviour, First Aid at Work and is DBS certified through Hertfordshire County Council.
Adam Hegazy
Activity Leader - Borehamwood, Bushey and Luton (Buckinghamshire & Hertfordshire )
Adam is currently leading with the Borehamwood Friday Night Project.
He provide facilitate football/basketball sessions to the young people 11+.
Adam also delivers the Thursdays basketball project in Luton and as a play ranger / deliver sports sessions at the school in Bushey.
Dani-Glen Sangco
Volunteer Sports Coach
Basketball
Dani is a sports enthusiast, mainly loving basketball since grade school from Philippines.
Looking up to former Chicago Bulls #23 Michael Jordan.
Learned a lot of values and good character by playing basketball as a sport and wanted to impact these experiences and knowledge to the youth.
Joined Sporting Inspirations CIC July 2022.
Carly Aslett
Community Development & Centre Manager
Stoneyhall Community Centre
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Carly has a passion for championing positive mental health and wellbeing both in adults and young people. She is currently teaching yoga and meditation across Hertfordshire to a variety of different groups and ages. Carly trained to teach yoga in India and considers traveling something she loves to do whenever possible! Carly says that Yoga Teacher Training has been absolutely life changing and her goal now is to share this practice with everyone. She is also passionate about young people achieving their goals and following their dreams, Carly is clear that every young person can achieve absolutely anything they want to with the right support and mindset.
Although originally from Stevenage, Carly grew up in Singapore and later worked at a resort off the east coast of Malaysia. With extensive management experience in the hospitality sector, Carly has taken on the role of Community Development & Centre Manager at Stoneyhall Community Centre. Carly is really keen to engage with local residents here and get the centre working positively for the local community. Carly is a volunteer youth mentor with MCR pathways and works at the Stoneyhall youth club on a Tuesday evening.
Please follow Stoneyhall Community Centre Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/Stoneyhallcommunitycentre .
Joan Collier
Stoney Hall Youth Project
CONTACTS
