Meet the Team
I am the founder, Director of Operations and Inspirational Life Coach of BiG and feel truly blessed to be able to bring my 2 passions together - football and inspiring young people and empowering them to achieve. I am an ex semi professional footballer of 14 years, a UEFA B qualified football coach, who has worked at elite levels including Crystal Palace Academy for just under 5 years, and I am and an ex middle management civil servant of 23 years. Football has played a major role in my life and I have always used football as a powerful tool to unofficially mentor and guide children and young people. In 2010, I got a burning desire to do more to support young people so I left my successful civil service career and set up BiG in 2011. I believe that we all have a purpose in life, through our passions and to be able do what I love, gives me great satisfaction and in particular, the acknowledgement and gratitude from young people, teachers and parents has driven me to be resilient and to success during very tough times along my journey in developing a reputable and credible portfolio that with a great Leadership Team and volunteers have now been taken to new levels.
Lionel Best, Founder, Board of Director and Inspirational Life Coach
I am a passionate advocate and leader in the field of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), with over 15 years of experience in creating transformative change. Currently serving as the Equity Diversity Inclusive & Belonging (EDIB) Lead for two prominent charities, FareShare UK and The Felix Project, I specialise in building inclusive and diverse organisations, raising engagement, championing the rights of colleagues, underrepresented and underserved groups. My work within these charities focuses on fostering inclusive environments that empower individuals and organisations to thrive with an engaged welcoming and collaborative workforce for all.
Through my roles, I collaborates with teams and leadership to implement sustainable strategies that drive equity, diversity, and belonging and my expertise extends to designing impactful initiatives, delivering training, and providing guidance on legal frameworks and best practices. I am particularly committed to addressing systemic barriers and creating opportunities for marginalised groups to excel.
As a Board if Director at BIG, I aim to contribute my knowledge and skills to empower young people and children to realise their full potential and support the leadership team to achieve its aims and objectives. I am eager to learn from fellow members and exchange ideas, ensuring my contributions remain impactful and aligned with the evolving needs of the community. I believe in the power of collective action and continuous learning to drive meaningful, lasting change.
Serena Richmond, Board of Directors
I am a passionate about unlocking the skills and talents of youngsters and helping them fulfil their potential. During these increasingly uncertain times, it is important we provide services where children feel comfortable expressing themselves physically, emotionally and creatively and feel supported in whatever journey they undertake. BiG CIC plays an incredibly important role in the community and we are driven by our shared vision of enriching the lives of every one of our service users and instilling within them the confidence and skills so that they can succeed at whatever they want to with hard work, resilience and self-belief.
I have over 20 years’ experience in strategic communications in the private, public and financial services sector and have advised a range of senior individuals on engagement, media relations and political communications.
Vance Duhaney, Finance and Engagement Director