The Aquinas Foundation is delighted to announce that it has now appointed a Chief Executive Officer to develop the Charity. Richard Leahy joined the team in November this year having previously been the Director of Education and Training at the Active Communities Network. While at Active Communities Network Richard wrote accredited training courses aimed at developing progression routes for Sports based social inclusion Programmes working with the UKs hardest to reach young people. He has delivered training and education programmes across the globe and works with UK Sector Skills Councils and Awarding bodies to develop new qualifications for the development of community sports activities, community cohesion and social inclusion initiatives.

Richard began his professional career as a school teacher specialising in English, History and Physical Education. He progressed into work in the voluntary sector and ran sports based education programmes in south London during his time with Crime Concern (a UK Charity now known as Catch 22). He has also been National Programme Manager for the Home Office Funded Positive Futures Programme, which delivers sports based social inclusion activities for 11 to 19 year olds, with a view to helping them access further training, development and employment opportunities. Recently wrote a vocationally related qualification for 1st4sport in Using Sport to Tackle Youth Crime.