People

The quality of the training, advice and services we deliver is dependent on the character, skills, knowledge and experience of the people we work with. Over the years we have built a team of professionals and associates who we know deliver the right service for clients, in the right way.

Dr Tim Anstiss

Tim is a qualified physician with a masters degree in sports medicine and a post-graduate diploma in occupational medicine. He has trained in Cognitive behaviour therapy and motivation interviewing, has established a wide range of clinical and non-clinical services (including corporate health, cardiac rehabilitation, chronic back pain and worksite wellness) and is an affiliate member of the British Psychological Assocation. Tim established SHL in 1994 and has led its development to date - working with a range of clients from a range of industries on projects in and around health, wellbeing and performance improvement. He once battled Shadow with a Pugil Stick on ITV's Gladiators, and pole vaulted 4.90 meters. He doesn't do these things anymore.

Dr Melvyn Hillsdon

Previously Fitness Director for Livingwell, Melvyn is a world recognised expert on the determinants of physical activity, regularly presenting papers at International conferences. Trained in REBT and a trained trainer in Motivational Interviewing, Melvyn is a Senior Lecturer, Department of Exercise and Health Science, University of Bristol. Melvyn has conducted analysis of very large health and lifestyle related data sets, and written a series of influential industry benchmarking reports for the Fitness Industry. He cycles a lot, used to play competitive softball, and now likes to enjoy the countryside in Devon.

Rob Shannon

Previously Group Fitness and Retention Manager, Invicta Leisure, Rob is a Lecturer in the School of Health Professions and Rehabilitative Sciences at Southampton University focussing on methods of helping clients with behaviour change. With a degree in Psychology and MSc in Exercise and Health behaviour, Rob is a trained trainer in Motivational Interviewing. Rob regularly presents at industry conferences and writes articles for professional and consumer press. Whilst at Invicta, the staff training systems and member induction process which Rob developed and led delivered the highest retention figures in the UK fitness industry.

Amanda Brown

Amanda is a Counselling Psychologist – currently following Doctorate program studying resilience.She is trained in Cognitive Therapy, Rational Emotive Therapy, Problem Focused Counselling and Coaching and currently works for a number of voluntary organisations helping people overcome anxiety, depression and addiction. Amanda and Tim have developed and delivered a Confidence, Wellbeing and Success programme for people on long term IB for Kent County Council - weaving together positive psychology, cognitive behaviour therapy, mindfulness and telephone coaching.

Keith Ashton

Keith is a director of a successful design and architecture practice, with responsibility for the development of sports architecture within the firm. Prior to this Keith worked in Kosovo, leading major reconstruction projects for aid agencies and as a consultant to the UN and donor Governments on infrastructure rebuilding. This provided a sharp contrast to his previous role as an architect to the Royal Household in London, working on the fire damaged Windsor Castle project amongst others. Keith is has worked with a number of government agencies on the development and funding of sport infrastructure and has worked with both sports federations and international governments on major sport venue strategies. Keith is currently working with Zaha Hadid Architects to design and deliver the Aquatic Centre for the London 2012 Olympic Games. When away from work Keith uses his architectural expertise to build sandcastles and Lego villages with his kids.

Nigel Wallace

Nigel was previously the Executive Director of the Fitness Association, the trade association for UKhealth clubs and leisure centres representing a multi-billion pound industry with over 5000 clubs and leisure centres. His responsibilities covered all elements of managing and operating a trade body from business strategy, budgets and staffing, to Government relations programme, sponsorship acquisition, campaign management and contract negotiations.Nigel now runs his own consultancy practice in the health and fitness sector, including developing and running SIBEC events - bringing together buyers (club operators) and suppliers from across Europe in a unique format offering pre-selected one-to-one meetings and highly productive networking forums. Prior to this Nigel drew on his MSc Exercise and Health Science to Direct the adidas academy where he devised and implemented initiatives linking adidas, as a sports brand, with the health and fitness industry – including such schemes such as adidas performance training (100 aPT centres created within selected health and fitness clubs/centres) and adidas speed training, generating over £2 million worth of PR printed media coverage and helping double the sales figures of adidas shoes and apparel in the aPT centres.Sales of speed, strength and stamina training shoes increased consistently through this period as did overall market share.

Jeff Allison

Jeff is a popular and skilled trainer, with considerable experience of teaching and supervising practitioners using MI-related techniques. He has experience of training other trainers, and was invited by the MINT Steering Committee in 2005 and 2006 to be a co-trainer in international MINT 'Training New Trainers' events. Like Tim, Melvyn and Rob (but more skilled) Jeff  was trained as a trainer by Professors William R Miller and Stephen Rollnick, the originators of motivational interviewing and authors of the principal texts. He is an active member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). Prior to this, between 1976 and 1996, Jeff worked in the UK addiction services field in a variety of organisations:

 Social worker: residential and day care alcohol rehabilitation agency.
 Manager: experimental social work training programme for ex-service users.
 Fieldworker/Trainer: national alcohol services organisation.
 Social Worker/Manager: detoxification centre for street drinkers.
 Specialist Social Worker: local authority social services department.
 Co-ordinator: NHS addiction centre information service.
 Manager: independent addiction centre prescribing and counselling service.
 Substance Misuse Specialist: probation service.