Meet the team

Gary Shankland 

Team Role: Project Leader

How did I get involved with CWB? I have been involved with CWB for over three years now after first volunteering for a project in Rwanda. This will be my fifth CWB project and my fourth visit to Kenya.

What am I most looking forward to about the trip? I am really looking forward to meeting up with Nicholas, our ambassador, and the other local coaches in Kenya and can’t wait to see the developments since my last visit. Every project I have done has left me with tons of great memories and I am sure this one will be no different. Roll on the 1st October!

Jon Haines 

Team Role: Project Accountant! (Ok in charge of kitty)

Day Job: Quantity Surveyor (quickly move on)

How did I get involved with CWB? Well on a dreary December Sunday evening, I was catching up on some cricket when a picture of Maasi warriors in full costume and cricket gear playing cricket appeared on my iPad, how bizarre I thought and then I googled Maasi warriors cricket which led me to the CWB website 3 hours later of reading blogs watching videos I was hooked! I sent off a volunteer application that night and thought no need to mention it to my wife nothing will come of it!  Well 2 months later after an interview with the charity I was accepted. I then had to break it gently to my dear wife that I was going.

Cricketing experience: I have played cricket for Goatacre CC since I was 9, so that’s almost ** years and still playing, many high points in the game from my first senior game at the age of 10 to playing at Lords (twice) in the National Village Knockout Final and two massive sixes into the Mound stand (unfortunately off my bowling!). I coach a bit at club and County.

What am I most looking forward to about the trip? As a returning CWB volunteer to Kenya, I am looking forward to going back to meet up with the brilliant CWB Kenya coaching team Nicholas and George, hopefully going back to some of the previously visited schools to see how cricket and the CWB message is developing and see the children with massive smiles and endless enthusiasm playing cricket. But I really can’t wait to lead some pretty tasteful dad dancing, chanting CWB ABC.

Enough about me let’s move on to ……….

Khush Patel

How did I get involved with CWB? I heard about the charity when working as Inclusion & Diversity Officer for Middlesex Cricket. The mix of going to a continent I have always wanted to visit, coaching a sport I absolutely love and combing it with such an important health awareness message, was too brilliant to resist.

Cricketing experience: I’m a Level 3 Cricket Coach and Coach Educator/Assessor, however I left my full time role in cricket in March to train as an Accountant. I’m still involved in cricket in Middlesex in various roles though, including coaching my local U13 Girls team and playing for Harrow Town CC Ladies.

What am I most looking forward to about the trip? Having now met the rest of our awesome team at the training weekend and found out more about the trip and what we’ll be doing out there, I’m more excited than ever – can’t wait to get to Kenya!! 🙂

Derek Bloomfield 

About Me: I’m semi-retired living in St Albans. My most recent job was at a local secondary school. I’m a Duke of Edinburgh Scheme expedition assessor and accompanied the boys on their Bronze and Silver trips in the UK. I’m keen on camping, hill walking and wild swimming.

How did I get involved with CWB? CWB came to my notice whilst I was listening to Test Match Special last summer.  Aggers interviewed one of the founders over the Lords lunch break. Using cricket as a vehicle to raise AIDS awareness in schools is an inspired idea. I have been to Africa several times and loved it every time so the chance to combine all these things was too good to miss.

Cricketing experience: Cricket has been a life long passion. I have played it in one form or another since I was at school. Currently I play T20 for a local side and try to go on a summer tour with them every year. Never done any coaching but willing to give it a go.

Mandy Burgess

About Me: I live by the sea on the south coast with my dogs, cats & boys. I work within horticulture which is a worldwide all inclusive occupation.You will always have something to chat about wherever you find yourself.

Cricketing experience: I volunteer with a group of adults who react 5 seconds slower than me, and have been mentoring their understanding of the great game.  They have proved it is a game that everyone can play, to varying degrees.You just need a CAN DO mind set.

What am I most looking forward to about the trip? CWB Kenya is a challenge which I want to embrace, to prove that no matter your status in life, everyone is the same, but with different opportunities. I hate being categorized and do not like to see it being applied to others, so everyone should be treated the same, with the same chances to succeed. Cricket will be the first of many building blocks to overcome for us all in Kenya, but I feel I am ready for the adventure and I am ready to start the building!!

Tim Kearsey

About me: I spend most of my time Teaching/Lecturing and Coaching on the mistakes and alleged foresight of my first 15 years of adult life/career. My nicknames are crazy ‘the predictor’ and the ‘the wrecker’ amongst others.

Cricketing experience: I have taken over a 1000 wickets in Jersey League Cricket – and still wonder why batsmen have not learnt to watch out for the full length straight one!   Watching any cricket with my amazing Dad.

What are you most excited about going to Kenya with CWB? Meeting the Masai Warriors Cricket Team and eating Goat Stew.  Not to forget the humble happiness of the children and doing one of those head bopping jumps with my Masai mate Sonyanga!

Gary Storer

About me: I run my own business and have worked in education and training all my career – helping young people learn is immensely enjoyable, whether in schools, mentoring or coaching cricket or football – I always find I seem to get as much from it as them.

Cricketing experience: I’ve been watching and playing cricket for over 40 years and still play and umpire for one of the oldest cricket clubs in England, in a picturesque village in Sussex called Lindfield.

How did I get involved with CWB? One of the players told me about Cricket Without Boundaries and I thought it combined three things I enjoy – helping young people, cricket and exploring new countries.

What are you most excited about going to Kenya with CWB? Having met Team Kenya at our training weekend and learned about CWBs work in Africa, I’m really excited about going out to Kenya in October.

Hannah Stobbs

About me: I am a huge sports enthusiast and can often be found running around with a ball/bat/racket in my hand. I’m also a keen festival-goer and can be seen dancing in one of Sam Smith’s music videos!

Cricketing experience: From playing at Lords for Loughborough to bowling in the nets next to James Anderson, my cricketing experience has been varied to say the least. A particular cricketing highlight for me took place in “sunny” Yorkshire whilst playing for Middlesex. The openers were giving it a right old smack and it was my turn to head off from cover to the boundary to chase the ball. To my delight I thought to myself I could save 4 runs and proceeded to dive and scoop the ball back before the boundary rope. Little did I know that beyond the boundary was a moat full of water which I inevitably went straight into. All I can say is that it was lucky I was wearing layers underneath my whites! I now spend more time diving around in this way on a rugby pitch but still do enjoy watching and participating in cricket at a recreational level.

What are you most excited about going to Kenya with CWB? As my picture suggests, I LOVE Africa and have been to Malawi and South Africa before. I am most excited about meeting the children we will be coaching and being a part of their education about HIV/AIDs.