Every child deserves a great start in life!

Charlotte has been working for charities in Southwark for over 20 years including as the Chief Executive of Creation working on the Aylesbury Estate.  She has run community spaces and worked on large regeneration projects. She is an active member of the South London Theatre.  As well as supporting the work of this charity she is an award winning playwright.  She currently works for Southwark Charities which manages alms houses and provides grants to improve the lives of the elderly.  With her role at Burgess Sports she truly sees the whole spectrum of ages in the local area.

Founder of Southwark Rugby Club, one of only three rugby clubs in inner-London. He developed a long-term strategy to grow membership, improve facilities, and establish a community rugby programme in local secondary schools.  He graduated in the year 2000 and worked in recruitment for nearly two decades including founding Seevee.co.uk which he ran from 2014-19.  He is a parent and a dab hand in household renovations!

Sara Leo, Trustee

Originally from Sierra Leone, Sara is an Aylesbury resident, mother of five, and social worker. Her children have been active participants in the programme, with her two eldest daughters serving as senior ambassadors and recently graduated as Level 2 multi-skills coach.

Romari Doswell, Trustee

A dedicated sports coach and academic with undergraduate and masters degrees in Sport Science, Romari specializes in physical literacy and exercise benefits for children.  A former participant in Burgess Sport programmes; Romari now develops training for coaches, ambassadors, and volunteers while promoting children’s health and well-being.

A local resident of African heritage whose children have been involved in the programme since 2021.  She is deeply connected to the community and supports the development of youth through sports.  Ganiat has a Finance and Accountant background and has worked for local charities in Southwark.

A nursery teacher at the Houses of Parliament with a background in biochemistry and experience in teaching, tutoring, and community engagement. Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, Nivin has participated in many of our parenting courses, she has strong ties to Surrey Square School and actively supports local community initiatives.

 An educator with international teaching experience and a passion for English literature and creative writing.  She holds a degree from Kabul University and has taught English in schools and universities, focusing on curriculum development and student engagement.   In the UK as well as mathematics and english certifications she has a Level 3 in Supporting Teaching and Learning.  She has taken part in many of our parenting courses.

Alejandra Teixido, (Ally) CEO

Joined  the  Charity  in  2013,  when  she  moved  to  the  UK  with  her  British  husband. She  is  a  professional  with  extensive  experience  in  nonprofit  organizations.  She has a degree in Business Administration and began her career in Chile's second largest bank. 

In 2006 she started  and  ran  a  charity  in  Chile,  Fundación  Nexos,  which works  with  disadvantaged  indigenous  communities,  particularly  in  the  south  of  the country.  She was able to use her business contacts and skills to build up a network (Nexos) allowing for financial support and the development of mutually beneficial relationships between businesses, individuals and communities. 

Burgess  Sports  has  had  a  steady  growth  in  recent  years.  Situated  in  one  of  the  most deprived  boroughs  of the  Capital  where  participants  and  volunteers  are  on  average at  11%  of  the  most  deprived  in  the  country,  Burgess  Sports  has  emerged  as  a community  asset.  Her passion, vision and warmth are a key asset for Burgess Sports as we look to empower the local community. 

Afruja Khanom Project Manager

From a young age, Afruja has been passionate about sports and this has informed a lifelong commitment to extending the mental health and physical benefits and human connections that activity promotes.  She  graduated with a degree in Criminology and joined Burgess Sports full time straight after University but first worked for us as a 16 year old.  While with us she has completed a course in Sports Project Management as well as many role related courses in behaviour management, youth work, sports coaching and special needs .  As well as her coaching badges across a range of sports she currently trains in Muay Thai and is a keen runner. 

She leads our holiday sports camps and afterschool activities.  Her view is that her role is to help prepare young people for their future.  Being a young person, allows her to understand the needs of the group.  Working with the local community gives herself and her colleagues at Burgess Sports the opportunity to support families in a variety of ways.

Vernon Neve-Dunn, Founder

I began the Southwark Tigers in 2000. It is a charity that uses sport, particularly rugby, to motivate and engage young people to achieve more. It is a fantastic way to take inner city children to different environments and use competition as a way of developing social and personal skills.

We set up Burgess Sports in 2012 to bring together all the fantastic work of the sports clubs in the area. Nowhere else in the country has a group of different sports clubs come together to find common ground.

Franco Amato, Healthy Food Manager

Franco grew up on a farm in Sicily with a strong food culture.

He has been passionate about good food and cooking since my childhood and I have a natural gift when it comes to food innovation, taste and presentation. 

This great combination with his Italian flair and professionalism make my customers to adore my meals.

During his professional career, He has always enjoyed and thrived on all the challenges I have faced, retaining my individual style.