Andy Brittles appointed as new Chair of the Richard Whitehead Foundation

The Richard Whitehead Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Andy Brittles as its new Chair.

Andy brings with him a wealth of lived experience and professional expertise in disability sport and physical activity. Born with spina bifida, Andy’s early experiences of exclusion from sport helped shape his lifelong commitment to inclusion. Following a leg amputation in 1983, he began playing sport more regularly, particularly golf, and later went on to study sports science as a mature student after recognising the lack of disabled people involved in sports development.

Since then, Andy has worked across a number of national organisations and charities, developing products and programmes that increase participation among disabled people. One of his notable achievements includes the development of Frame Football for children with cerebral palsy, working with the FA to gain recognition for the sport. Andy is a passionate advocate for creating opportunities not only in participation, but also in volunteering, coaching and employment within sport.

On his appointment, Andy said: “I am so very privileged to become the Chair of the Richard Whitehead Foundation and am excited with what the future will hold for the Foundation.”

Richard Whitehead, President of the Foundation, added: “I am delighted to welcome Andy to the Richard Whitehead Foundation as our newly appointed Chair. Andy brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Board and I look forward very much to working with him. I wholeheartedly thank Mark, as he retires from the Board, for his dedication and leadership of the Trustees during his three-year tenure. We all wish him the very best for his future.”

The Foundation would also like to extend its sincere thanks to Mark, our previous Chair of Trustees, who has stepped down from the role after three years for personal reasons. Mark has been instrumental in supporting the Foundation’s growth and governance and leaves with the full appreciation of the Board.

Mark said: “I would like to express my gratitude to the Foundation and my confidence in passing the Chair role over to Andy. This is a positive step for the Foundation and I am confident in its future direction. I fully endorse the work being done and look forward to seeing the Foundation continue to grow and make a difference.”

The Richard Whitehead Foundation thanks Mark for his commitment, leadership and support, and looks forward to the next chapter under Andy’s chairmanship.

To learn more about Andy Brittles and the wider team, visit our Meet the Team page.