Advisory Board

Meet the Sport Local Action Advisory Board

Our Advisory Board brings together influential leaders from diverse backgrounds in the sport, charity, and community sectors. Meet them below.

Comprising individuals with expertise in sports marketing, philanthropy, community development, and the sport for community good sector, our Advisory Board plays a pivotal role in guiding and shaping the direction of Sport Local Action. Their invaluable insights, experience, and passion for driving positive change enable us to make a meaningful impact in communities through sport.

Sport Local Action is committed to being as relevant and useful as possible. We will therefore strive to communicate as much as possible with our members. In addition, we are proud to introduce our advisory board, in place to further support the organisation as it grows and, therefore, the experience of our members.

Xavier Wiggins (Chair)

Xavier is passionate about harnessing the power of sport to drive positive change in communities. That drive has already seen food for six million meals, 3,400 laptops and thousands of items of furniture provided to people in need by Dons Local Action, which Xavier co-founded. The multi-award-winning scheme, which is linked to AFC Wimbledon, was named Best Community Football Project in Britain.

Michael Hill

Michael’s many achievements include establishing Rackets Cubed, which combines education in science, technology, and maths with racket sports for inner-city youngsters. On the menu at Rackets Cubed which reaches 1,000 children each week at 20 locations including the National Tennis Centre – is an hour of STEM education twinned with an hour of squash or tennis, plus an evening meal.

Rosie Holden

Rosie heads up multi-award winning, sport & culture agency Havas Play, formerly Cake, as part of the Havas Group. During her time at Havas, Rosie has ensured 100% YOY client retention rate, has seen the agency named as one of ‘Campaigns Best Places to Work’ for two consecutive years, and Sport Business Awards Agency of the Year.

Simon Burton

Simon Burton is an entrepreneur whose journey is as eclectic as it is impactful. He's launched, scaled, and sold several businesses, earning both the sweet taste of victory and the humbling scars of not victory. He marches to the beat of his own drum, embracing an iconoclastic approach to business that's as unconventional as it is effective.

Faye Carruthers

Faye Carruthers is an award-winning journalist and sports broadcaster working for clients including talkSPORT, The Guardian and Amazon Prime Video. She is also an accomplished events host, working for organisations including the Premier League, FA, PGMOL and UK Athletics; and has narrated a number of sports documentaries and specialist shows for FIFA and UEFA.

Tom Watt

Tom is an actor, author and broadcaster. He's been an Arsenal supporter for the past 60 years and has been involved with the club's Community Department sincer the mid-1980s, as an advocate, a volunteer and an event host. He is a season-ticket holder at Cheltenham Town FC.