The Team
London born and bred, a life-long Spurs fan and Middlesex CCC supporter, and a Level 3 Coach, Tutor and Assessor with over 35 years of coaching experience from schoolchildren to Scotland National Women’s Coach. I’ve delivered coaching courses for ICC Europe in places as diverse as Austria and the Isle of Man. I’ve had the chance to work in the UK and abroad both as a cricket coach as well as my other ‘job’ as a Sports Massage Practitioner – the highlight of this was working at the 2000 Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games. A keen cricketer, rugby player and footballer, I spend most of my time these days ‘patching’ up and putting back together sportspeople from all different sports and activities, from ‘elite’ to ‘social’ level!! Still get to the gym whenever work [and apathy!] don’t get in the way, but enjoy getting out on the bike or taking long walks in the surrounding countryside, which is breathtaking.
My wife, Carole, and I have been living in the Highlands of Scotland for 18 years but still enjoy the occasional visit south to London and the Home Counties for family visits, tourist-type outings, etc – it’s always nice to return to the peace and tranquillity of the far North!!
This will be my third visit to Botswana with CWB – a different group of volunteers this time, but I’m sure it will be an equally enjoyable and productive trip, and I’m really looking forward to renewing friendships made on my last trip!!
Mark Campbell
Mark is a qualified social worker and has been working with children for over 25 years. He has been involved with child protection, for children who are unable to live with their families and children affected by HIV/AIDS. He has managed teams working with disabled children and currently manages a team working with children who are in public care.
He has been playing cricket for over forty years and is a qualified ECB Level 2 coach and Club Welfare Officer. He has wanted to visit Botswana since leaning about the Kalahari and the Magadikadi Pans whilst studying geography at university. Now he is lucky enough to have the chance to do this for the third time and is looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting lots of new ones – all with the same broad smiles. Can’t wait!
Tim Ward
Tim lives in Oslo, Norway with his wife and 2 small children, and currently works as a business analyst with the Maritime Industry. He is a lifelong cricket enthusiast and board member of the Oslo Aliens cricket club. Tim has been involved in raising money for Cricket without boundaries since the infamous Captain Scott v Roald Amundsen “Ice” Match in 2011, and has finally decided to see CWB in action and join a project in Botswana.
Although a challenge for him to be away from his young family, he is really looking forward being part of the Botswana team and helping to contribute towards raising the awareness of HIV/AIDS in a country that has been heavily affected by the illness.
Tim is part of a 3 man team that will be representing the Oslo Aliens Cricket Club in Botswana.
Tom Smith is the country manager for Botswana. I am a keen cricketer and play for a few different sides, basically I have my own kit and will travel. I play LMS cricket in London, represent a friendly side called the Saracen Riffs and play Surrey league cricket for Kenley. Although my passion and the love for the game comes from my early years growing up in Gloucestershire playing for Cirencester.
I’ve been involved with Sports and Health development in London for many years now and am genuinely excited to apply my skills in Africa. I worked closely on the 2012 Paralympics and have experience in managing a variety of projects, programmes and events. I am an ECB level one coach so looking forward to getting my hands dirty as well as working with the Botswana Cricket Association to develop their programmes and raise awareness of HIV Aids.
Ken Kirk:
Accountant mad on cricket- played in a good league (Bassetlaw) been to Uganda (2012) with CWB. Been part of Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust team for several years providing coaching for 7-14 year olds in the Vale of Belvoir.
Carl Ferguson: Since its inception CWB has achieved amazing things and I am proud to say that having been on 2 previous trips (Rwanda 2012 & Kenya 2013) I have witnessed at first hand the impact the charity can have on changing people's lives for the better. I am very excited and honoured to be continuing with this work in Botswana. Cricket itself is a huge passion of mine and I play, having done so for 22 years, for Flitwick CC ('The Mighty Otters') in Bedfordshire. Away from cricket I am heavily into the arts, most other sports and like to think of myself as energetic, determined and always up for a challenge. This is perhaps best demonstrated by having previously completed 8 London Marathons…Although at the last attempt I was shamefully beaten by Tinky Winky from the Teletubbies which has since prompted my retirement from the event!
I literally cannot wait to get out to Botswana to meet new friends and to experience all the things I have read and heard about from previous CWB volunteers.
I anticipate a very special 2 weeks.
Mengxi Hu
I'm not going to lie – I have never played a game of cricket in my life. My cricketing prowess stems from (i) having fallen asleep during a one dayer at the MCG, (ii) being Australian, and (iii) once having christmas lunch with Dwayne Bravo.
Despite, or because of, these awe-inspiring qualifications, I have been overwhelmingly warmly welcomed by the CWB team. I am passionate about development and aid, and fiercely believe in the cause and projects promoted by this great charity. I look forward to learning as much as I can from Botswana, its people, and the rest of the CWB team – and hopefully give a little back.
David Kuhlwilm
David is a self-confessed cricket tragic, originally from Scotland and now
living in Norway in a desperate attempt to get an international cap and a
profile on cricinfo.*
Currently the captain of the Oslo Aliens and on the board of the Norwegian
Cricket Federation, he, like Tim discovered CWB in 2011 while playing
cricket…in the snow…in Oslo…in January
A huge fan of traveling, he is very much looking forward to seeing
Botswana, meeting it's people and hopefully making a difference.
Simon Hunt -34 years old, professional personal trainer and sports coach based in Oslo
Norway. Specialising in track and field sprinting and jumping. Simon has
also spent 6 years working on the NHS as an Exercise Physiologist
rehabilitating cardiac patients. Improving physical and mental heath
through sport and exercise is one of Simons passions. He started playing
cricket again two years ago after a 16 year break to follow a career in
track and filed and high jumping.
"This is a great opportunity to take my knowledge and show others who
really need it how to be healthy, fit and confident about their bodies."