“I started Mintridge because I needed help myself as a teenager. I missed out getting into the England Hockey team at the final stage. I had a huge crash of confidence and felt my identity was under threat. I really struggled with what I perceived as failure. All I needed was someone to tell me that I deserved to be there.”
The Mintridge Foundation was founded in 2015 by Managing Director Alex Wallace (Paske). A lifelong sports fan, Alex was keen to channel her interests and help others. Alex wanted to use her experiences, both positive and negative, to promote an active lifestyle and positive mental health for children and young people and to harness the power of sporting role models to help and influence young people.
“My role model growing up was the men’s rugby union star, Jonny Wilkinson. I loved his devotion to his England teammates and meticulous training regime. Looking back, why was he my role model? I didn’t play rugby and am not male, but it was hard to see female sporting role models. My female role models were the Spice Girls, and for anyone that has heard me sing will know that this was not a career path for me! I want every young person to look up at the Mintridge Foundation family and think that person looks like me, they are from the same background as me, and my possibilities are endless!
Put simply; I want every young person to maintain a healthy, positive relationship with sport in whatever capacity they choose to pursue it.”
“We are big believers in the power of sport and everyone being included – sport in schools should be delivered in a much more holistic way and through Mintridge, this is possible. ”
Founder
Alex Wallace (née Paske) is the Founder and Managing Director of Mintridge. She is passionate about giving all young people equal sporting opportunities. With a wealth of knowledge across the school sector, Alex established Mintridge in 2015 at 24, with a clear objective of what she wanted to achieve.
Alex was awarded the Women of the Future Sport Award in 2017 alongside Dr Sarah Leiter for the work that Mintridge has achieved, impacting over 30,000 young people in schools and sports clubs across the UK.
In 2018, Alex was granted the distinction of Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society for her commitment to promoting the values of the Commonwealth and working to improve the lives and prospects of Commonwealth citizens.
In November 2018, Alex was awarded the Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year award in the grassroots category for the impact achieved through Mintridge.
In 2021, Alex achieved World Record Breaking Status as part of the 16 strong team sheet that completed a 29 hour spin class, volunteering their time and energy towards our charity!
Alex is a qualified Mental Health First Aider.
Photographer
Jo joined the Mintridge team when it was established to provide all events we attend with a photographical reminder of the day. Jo is passionate about sport and seeing the reward students get from working with professional athletes.
Programme Coordinator
Jess Tarver has joined the Mintridge Family following years of experience in the sport and education world. As Head of Girls’ Games in a leading UK Prep School, Jess will help us to support our beneficiaries across the UK.
Remote Work Experience Student
Maddy joins us remotely from Sixth Form life at Nottingham Girls’ High School, GDST.
Chartered Organisational Psychologist
The mirror neuron is a part of the brain that has shaped each and every one of us throughout our lifetimes. It is the very essence of what makes us humans. By having a better understanding of this system we are able to take conscious control of it, encouraging us to have a more positive impact on the world around us and on society as a whole.
Fiona’s work evidences how the mirror neuron has defined us through the role models we observe and interact with and exactly why Mintridge harnesses the power of positive sporting role models.
All of the learning we take from our world is down to our brain's mirror system.
Graphic Designer
Patrick was thrilled to be able to join the Mintridge team in April 2017. Patrick’s history is in education. He was Director of Sport at St John’s College School in Cambridge and also Director of Cricket at Bedford Prep School. He currently coaches hockey and cricket at Oakham School, alongside running his own business as a graphic designer and illustrator from his family home in Oakham. Patrick’s sporting background is in cricket, having played the bulk of his career with Cambridgeshire CCC, with Somerset 2nd XI in 1999 and touring with MCC to Ghana and The Gambia in early 2003. He now plays at Uppingham CC in the Leicestershire Cricket League. As an educationalist, Patrick loves nothing more than to see young people having an opportunity, seeing them progress and ultimately realising their potential, succeeding at whichever level they achieve within their chosen sport. Personally, he has a great love of sport with a particular interest in Eventing, although he possesses a very limited equestrian ability!
Our team of Ambassadors - Olympians, Paralympians and other professional sports stars from over 20 sports, both team and individual deliver holistic sports provision in schools, clubs and colleges across the UK for young people from all walks of life, of all abilities and physical capabilities.
Jo Martin
Pauline King
Kelly Bartlett BA (Hons), BSC (Hons, MSc (Hons)
