Meet the team

John Freed

Senior NB Skipper, RYA NH Helm Instructor

John has been working at Islington Boat Club since 2004 working with the youth club, schools education and as an instructor. John has always enjoyed paddle sports of all kinds and has achieved a high level of expertise over the years, especially in slalom canoeing. He is passionate and proud about passing on this knowledge to today’s generation of young people.

Jan Dorling

Office Manager

Known as the Mother Hen of Islington Boat Club – Jan has been with the club since 1998. She is responsible for the running of the office and all things financial.

Sarah Corcoran

Development Officer

Sarah is a highly experienced fundraising professional with a proven track record in major account management, legacy fundraising and generating capital and revenue funding through trusts, statutory agencies and major corporate sponsors.

Darren Greenwood

Senior Paddlesport Instructor, RYA Helm instructor

Darren joined us as a sessional youth worker/instructor who progressed from the ranks of the youth club to staff member. He has rapidly accumulated much valuable experience from working in other centres both in London and abroad. He is planning to continue with his international expeditions to further his personal development as a team leader and Instructor.

Ruth Gungadoo

UpperDeckers Project Manager

Ruth has worked at Islington Boat Club since 2013 and is a Level 2 Paddlesport Coach, Mountain Biking leader, Level 2 Powerboat Instructor & Narrowboat Helm. Ruth currently leads on our UpperDeckers programme for people aged 50 plus. Ruth enjoys sailing, walking cooking and sewing.

Sarah Rex

AOB Project Manager

Sarah joined the club as a member in 1986. She has worked for the Boat Club in many capacities over the years and now works on our AOB Project. 

Katy Dixon

Administrative volunteer

Katy joined the club as a volunteer in June 2018. Since then she has been an enormous help in the office, on open days and during school holiday projects.

When she's not helping IBC she can be found on the estate where she has lived for 20 years, helping with the tenants association and community events. 

Katy is also an artistic painter and lives with her two cats.

Filippo Gaddo

Chair of Trustees

Filippo joined the club in 2019. He is a local resident and is an Economics Director with more than eighteen years’ professional experience working for government departments and major consulting firms.

​

Lee Pollard

Trustee

Lee volunteered to provide Human Resources advice to the Boat Club, and as she got to know the quality and services provided to local young people, she wanted to further support the Boat Club by becoming a trustee. Lee is an experienced senior Human Resources professional and runs her own HR consultancy company, Right Direction HR. Prior to this, Lee was the Western Europe HR Director for MetLife, a large multi-national insurance company. Originally from the US, Lee and her daughter are now happily settled residents of Islington.

Leslie Brantingham

Trustee

A long-time London resident, Leslie recently moved to Wiltshire. A lifelong canoeist, sailor and water sports enthusiast (except stand-up paddle boards!), Leslie has been a trustee with Islington Boat Club for three years and believes strongly that the resilience that comes from self-reliance on the water equips one for all manner of life’s difficulties. Islington Boat Club’s activities have brought benefit to thousands and Leslie and his fellow trustees are determined that this will be the case for the future.

Mark Flashman

Trustee

A digital media consultant, university lecturer, and canoe and kayak coach, Mark has over 20 years of experience managing, developing and implementing digital solutions at the BBC, The British Library, and other international institutions. Mark has an informed understanding of technology relating to the broadcast media, digital archives, and digital asset management. As a member of senior management team at the BBC he developed a broad-ranging knowledge, and experience of, strategic planning, business management, HR, and the responsibilities of a  public-funded organisation. 

Also a proud parent, and enthusiastic cyclist. He has a keen interest in the arts, especially music (reggae in particular) and reading.

John Rowlinson

Trustee

Born in Islington, John became a member of Islington Boat Club within weeks of it opening.

That led to a lifelong involvement in outdoor pursuits including canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, hill walking, sailing and mountain biking. Working in a variety of roles within the industry from instructor and coach in multiple activities to CEO for a trust delivering outdoor experiences to young people, John is currently Paddlesport Manager at a London based centre, working for a social enterprise.

Having started at IBC he is happy to support them through being a Trustee, knowing the positive impact that it had on his inner city life. John now spends his spare time sea kayaking and printmaking.

Fryderyk Hoffmann

Trustee

Fryderyk is an English-qualified solicitor with a broad range of commercial experience focusing on competition law. He became a trustee in 2019 primarily to advise the club on all legal aspects of its day to day activities on a pro bono basis.

Originally from Poland, Fryderyk enjoys living in North London and is keen on helping the local community and supporting various local initiatives. Outside of work and volunteering, Fryderyk is an enthusiast of sport, travelling and cats.