Meet The Team

Meet the passionate individuals behind our Foundation.

Namita Patel

Managing Director

Namita leads the strategic direction of the organisation, working closely with the Chair of Trustees to drive growth and impact. She is the key link between L&RCF and Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

Paul Gaskin

Head of Cricket Participation

Paul oversees the delivery team, helping to engage more people in the game. He supports both strategic planning and the day-to-day running of the team.

Sarah Cobley

Administration & Marketing Officer

Sarah wears two hats: she provides administrative support to the Managing Director and Board of Trustees, while also leading on the development and growth of our marketing and communications.

Lesley Allden

County Safeguarding Officer

Lesley leads safeguarding across the foundation and club network, offering guidance, governance and support to ensure cricket is a safe and welcoming environment for all.

Mark Hudson

Clubs & Facilities Manager

Mark manages the Clubs and Facilities team, helping clubs develop and improve their infrastructure to support long-term growth.

Jay Bagoan

Clubs & Facilities Officer

Jay supports clubs across the county to develop and grow, and leads on the delivery of national programmes at a local level.

Caroline McCabe

Senior Women & Girls Development Officer

Caroline drives the expansion of women’s and girls’ cricket across Leicestershire and Rutland. She’s passionate about creating inclusive spaces where girls and women can enjoy and develop in the game.

Jordan Withers

Volunteer & Education Officer

Jordan plans and delivers coaching and education programmes, supporting volunteers, coaches, umpires and scorers to access and contribute to the game.

Dave Allen

Senior Development Officer (Hubs)

Dave leads our community cricket hubs, working with Chance to Shine and Lord’s Taverners to bring cricket to neighbourhoods across Leicester.

Kajol Desai

Community Engagement Senior Officer

Kajol delivers the ECB Cricket Cities programme, connecting with Leicester’s diverse communities to promote the physical, social and health benefits of the game.

Ashleigh Passant

Cricket Development Officer (Disability)

Ashleigh oversees all disability cricket provision, including the Lord’s Taverners Super 1s and schools programmes. She’s also developing a SEND representative pathway.

Chris Sandell

Cricket Development Coach (Disability)

Chris delivers disability cricket sessions and supports the Chance to Shine team in schools to make the game more accessible.

Libby Perkins

Cricket Development Officer (Schools)

Libby leads our Chance to Shine Schools Programme, working closely with schools to give young people their first experience of cricket.

Prajesh Patel

Cricket Development Coach

Prajesh delivers a range of school and community cricket projects and leads our MCC Foundation Hub programme.

Benji Stevenson

Cricket Development Coach

Benji works across the Chance to Shine Schools Programme, helping introduce cricket to children and young people.

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