Tom Matthews Email & Phone Number

York, Gb

Yorkshire

If you want to change behaviour then changing the environment is a good place to start.My work is about inspiring play that is active, educational and fun. Working in public open space, to challenge the status quo and inspire people, children and families, to be more playful and active. Working with a wide range of materials including technology our worlds can become playgrounds.

Having built a world class sales team and developed a broad product range for Sutcliffe Play I was very pleased to be invited to join the Board of directors. The opportunity to learn about the top level of the business gave me a deeper insight and taught me how to run a company. I would have loved to stay for longer but a new challenge beckoned.

Sutcliffe Play are a world class manufacturer of children's playground equipment. Through creativity, innovation and conviction, Sutcliffe Play tries to contribute to the enjoyment and experience of children through play. SP design to encourage creativity, leaving as much as possible to childrens' imaginations. They build in an element of risk, to ensure play spaces are stimulating and challenging. They also believe passionately in ‘inclusive play’, and bring this into their designs in an invisible way, allowing all children to discover and extend their own boundaries while playing side-by-side. There are many benefits that play brings to children and adults – physical health, learning, development, social cohesion, even regeneration within communities but above all when designing, Sutcliffe Play focuses on play for play's sake, as that simple, essential part of childhood.I joined Sutcliffe Play to stabilise and grow the sales line. In a difficult early austerity market this was done through innovative product development and sales team development.

Whilst at KOMPAN I performed 2 roles as the education specialist and the Midlands / North East area sales manager. KOMPAN are a world leading manufacturer of children's playground equipment. Their child centric design philosophy informed and informs my work to this day. With a huge range of products to work with they allow a broad spectrum of designs to be completed for clients, offering a one stop shop for playground development.

ESP was my first position in the children's playground sector having previously worked in sales. I looked after a telemarketing team of 5 and a field sales team of 3 to deliver ESP's company sales strategy.

Master Of Arts (M.A.), Landscape Studies

B.Sc. Sociology And Managment Systems