I’m David, Co-Director of Changing Lives Community Services in Harlow, Director of Flick Trick Sports and a P.E Teacher in Harlow.

I joined the Find Your Active family because I want to help people find the activity that is right for them. Harlow has lots of green space and it’s important to keep the community engaged in new projects and opportunities. I am hoping to use my ambassador role to help residents find their active and point them in the right direction. I’m already working within vulnerable groups in Harlow and this will help connect and ensure we do not leave any member of the community behind.

I wasn’t the best at sport when I was young, but it was my P.E teacher in secondary school who gave me the opportunity to be a P.E leader and then Games Organiser for the London Olympic Games. I found that sport inspires people to do better and it certainly inspired me!

My work and love of sport progressed and a certain incident changed everything. A 6 year-old threated me with a knife in school and this prompted me to act and do something, which is when we created Changing Lives. Changing Lives is a gang intervention programme using sport as the hook to get children engaged. As well as the sport and physical activity side, we run workshops ensuring children understand the consequences of carrying drugs and knives.

Sport has been a huge part of my own life, helping me with my career and keeping me fit and healthy. I know and have seen first-hand how sport can have a fundamental effect on social interaction, mental health, wellbeing and engaging vulnerable young people.