Meet the team

SHEENA

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In between guzzling all the teas the world has to offer, Sheena also likes to cross-stitch and hopes to master roller-skates this summer. Watch this space...

IVAN

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Ivan is married with two daughters and one grandson, alongside whom he enjoys fine dining and socialising with friends. When alone he likes to listen to music and read a suspense novel or crime thriller; a penchant for the dark side that perhaps also explains why he has for many years been a regular match-goer at Stamford Bridge.

JIM ASHLEY

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Jim enjoys nothing more than the great outdoors. He has a slight obsession with challenging himself to new adventures, and has his sights set on getting to Everest Base camp (one day) along with summitting Kilimanjaro!  When not outward-bound, he has a passion for food (loves a bit of lobster and steak or curry, if you’re asking) and, of course, his family time.

KEVIN AUCHOYBUR

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Kevin is a font of knowledge on all things tech, from cars to quantum computing and everything in between. Whether it’s nuclear fusion or new gearboxes for formula one, Kev’s your man. He likes to relax with an audiobook or watching sport on the TV, with a nice little nip of whisky or whiskey in hand.

LINDSEY AUSTIN

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A busy mum of two teenage boys, Lindsey likes to spend her free time catching up with friends and family, researching family history and watching films. She has a near-term goal of walking a long-distance trail in celebration of a milestone birthday. (Twenty-one again!)

JAKE BARRETT-MILLS

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With a mother raised in Kentucky, he’ll defend bourbon to the death over whisk(e)y, and has never denied the rumour he knows the colonel’s secret blend of herbs and spices. He’s also a doctor - although not the kind you’d want around in an emergency. Unless it’s about American politics.

CALLUM BRUNNING

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Callum is a keen cricketer who can often be found searching in the rough for his missing golf ball. He is learning to play the guitar has also developed a new-found passion for baking. And as yet another RDA member with a head for heights, one of his lifetime ambitions is to climb Mount Everest.

GREG CLARK

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"An avid boulderer with a grip strength about which doctors have said “that’s quite good actually” and “surprising for your size” - nonetheless, Greg can frequently be found looking up at a climbing wall from the flat of his back. His watercolour art and Spanish lessons are coming along, and he now rivals strictly parented 11-year-olds at both.”

NICOLA FAULKNER

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Nicola likes to pass her downtime taking countryside walks with her small, pampered pooch. She’s a social animal herself, and loves spending time with friends, whether at home, in a restaurant or, preferably, dancing in some muddy field at the odd summer festival (or two.) (Or three.)

CAROLINE FIELDHOUSE

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Caroline particularly enjoys organising, cleaning, reorganising and more cleaning. Like her fat cat, Dotty, she is addicted to food, and loves prepping it, cooking it, eating it, reading or watching about it.  She also loves road trips to Scotland (her heart is in the Highlands) and taking photographs of landscapes and nature.

BRADLEY FIELDHOUSE

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Bradley is another of RDA’s sports nuts, with a particular passion for football, NFL and boxing. If there’s no sport to watch he will spend his time taking his chocolate Labrador for walks or cleaning and detailing his beloved car. (Wax on, wax off, Brad.)

TERI-ANN FISHER

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First and foremost, Teri-Ann is a cat person above all else. A lover of art, she’ll take any chance she can to express herself creatively. With an interest in the weird and wonderful, she spends her weekends watching true-crime documentaries.

LYNSEY FRICKER

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Lynsey is a mother of two, with a girl in her late teens and a boy soon to enter his. Spending time with them and her wider family is her favourite thing to do – preferably somewhere hot. She is also a big foodie and loves to find new restaurants, eat great food and drink good wine

GERARD GYEDU

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After hitting his athletic peak as a Waltham Forest 100m finalist in year 10, in his spare time he’s now more usually found doing something that’s football, fitness or gaming related. Either that or he’s probably asleep.

RONNIE IRANI

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Former England cricketer Ronnie was the leader of international cricket’s most famous exercise routine. From there he segued seamlessly into broadcasting, as co-host of Sports Breakfast on talkSPORT, and business, with his revolutionary OrthoSole orthotic insole. When Kevin Auchoybur successfully lodged an R&D Tax Credits claim for OrthoSole, Ronnie was so impressed they went into business together and RDA was born.

MARTIN JOHNSON

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If not watching sport (Essex cricket or West Ham United) Martin will be found watching comedy sitcoms, panel shows and stand up. If you asked his three grown-up kids what he is best known for, they will all say ‘dad jokes’. When Dad rolls out his jokes, they will be found rolling their eyes rather than rolling on the floor laughing.

MARK LANGLEY (AKA TWINKLE TOES)

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Legend, creator, pioneer & influencer.

D in GCSE Spanish. Yellow belt in Karate. Ex ballerina

RASHIDA MANAN

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Rashida loves to travel, going to the theatre, eating and socialising. Even if lockdown temporarily put a stop to these things, she is determined to live life, love life and laugh along with life – because she is quite sure that whatever it brings, life is what you make of it.

GRACE MANNING

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Grace loves to perform with her musical theatre company (she Dreamed a Dream, but not Any Dream Will Do) and she Considers Herself an avid reader. During lockdown, she was thinking Wouldn’t It Be Loverly to spend Some Enchanted Evenings with family and friends. She also Gets A Kick Out Of West Ham United. Wunderbar. (That’s quite enough musical scores now, ed.)

DEANNE NEL

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Proud South African Deanne is mother to a beautiful daughter and enjoys being active – running and hockey are top of her list. She’ll get to tick off a bucket-list item if her inclusion in the ballot for the London Marathon leads to a place on the starting line. She loves socialising with friends, especially over a “braai” (a barbecue to you and me), where she’ll be sipping a good red wine or a tasty gin.

SEAN RAMNARINE

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Usually found reading an essay to nowhere, where the rivers taste like wine, and you ask the dust for directions home.

LEE RHODES

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Married with one daughter, Lee is a sports fanatic who loves most sports, but he is particularly partial to a round of golf. Another of RDA’s natural adventurers, he likes to travel, meet people and take on new experiences.

NEIL THOROGOOD

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Sport is Neil’s passion, a West Ham follower home and away. As a former cricketer and an Essex fan, he yearns to join the Barmy Army and follow England abroad when he retires. He occasionally plays golf – always badly – and has begun fishing again during lockdown. Also enjoys travel and a good red wine.

GARY WASKETT

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Gary is RDA’s resident shipwreck expert. (Yes. Yes, he is.) He also loves travel, cinema, motorsport, eating out, networking and fast cars. A true people person - and petrolhead - he often combines most of these passions by driving his rare, modified, Australian Holden Monaro CV8 to car shows.