Cookies help our website to remember you and your preferences. For more information or to update your cookie settings, please go to our privacy policy.

Accept Decline
Skip to content.

The national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity

Menu. Open and close this menu with the ENTER key.

Boccia England announces appointment of new Chair

Boccia England is delighted to announce the successful appointment of Mark Gannon as its new independent Chair of the Board, following a thorough search and recruitment process undertaken by Perret Laver.

Mark Gannon smiling to camera.

Mark is the CEO of UK Coaching and is a familiar face within the sport and physical activity sector. He started his career as a PE teacher, and this is where his long-standing interest in boccia began. Mark later went onto roles at Youth Sport Trust and then British Gymnastics. During his time at UK Coaching, Mark has steered the organisation through significant change and just as coaches are there for their participants, so UK Coaching is there for the coach.

Chris Ratcliffe, CEO of Boccia England stated:

“We are delighted that Mark will be joining the Board and we are looking forward to working closely with him to build on the fantastic work that the trustees and staff have achieved to date so we can further improve our reach and impact.”

Mark said of his appointment:

“I am delighted to be joining a great team who look after boccia in England. Boccia can be played by everyone, but it also has the power to truly change the lives of people with physical disabilities. A truly inclusive activity and sport for all, it can connect families, friends, and communities where everyone can participate. Now more than ever, we need to engage with and include those members of our society who have been most affected by the pandemic and playing boccia can do this.”

Outgoing Chair Mike Walker said:

"I am delighted that I will be able to hand over the reins to Mark to ensure that Boccia England continues to grow in its reach and influence over the next few years and beyond. I am grateful to the staff and my board colleagues who have supported me during my tenure. I leave knowing that we have a strong governance structure in place with a clear direction for our new 10-year strategy and  I will be collaborating closely with Mark over the next few months to ensure there is a smooth transition into the role."

Mark will formally take over from Mike Walker as Chair in the January 2022 and will be directly involved in the finalisation of Boccia England’s new strategic plan.