Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee

Kate Aldridge – Board Director & EDI Committee Chair

Kate is currently Interim Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Director at the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB). She passionately believes in the power of sport to positively impact people’s lives and is committed to helping make sport more inclusive and accessible for everyone. Her first project at the ECB was developing their Transform women’s and girls’ cricket action plan which has led to huge grow in the profile and engagement with the women’s game. She currently leads a team delivering equity, diversity & inclusion (EDI) initiatives across the whole game.

After a year on the Badminton England EDI Committee, she joined the Board as Non-Executive Director in 2023 to help drive progress around EDI across badminton. Alongside this role she is a committed mentor as part of the University of Bath’s Widening Participation scholarship programme.

Kate was a keen badminton player as a teenager, playing in County competitions and local adult leagues across Sussex and Kent. Although she’s lost most of her racket skills in the intervening years, she’s enjoying the opportunity to be involved in the game again.

Farzana Sheikh – Member

I’m a primary school teacher and PSHE lead, with 17 years of teaching in a local school in East Ham. I have 5 children of my own who keep me busy! I went back to playing badminton after many years but getting fit and healthy was my main driver. The past few years, like for so many, has been a very difficult time impacting on mental well-being from young to old.  Playing badminton allows me the opportunity to celebrate being alive, to perform and to excel in my own abilities. At the beginning, being the only female in a predominantly male arena was extremely daunting for me further impacted by the fact that I wear a hijab. Seeing a Muslim woman playing sports was simply not a common image. To be accepted by others was a priority for me for a long time but after realising my own strengths and capabilities through meeting other females in sports gave me the confidence to push this out of my mind completely.

I am part of a number of clubs, some female only, some mixed, of varying playing abilities from beginner to intermediate and play at a number of leisure centres in and around East London. I also train in a group regularly to improve on my technique and footwork. After realising at my school, there were girls who were passive, who felt wearing a hijab was a barrier to entering into sport and suffered from low self-esteem, I realised that I was the perfect role model to show them that this didn’t have to be the case and so ran a badminton club to help improve their confidence. I am also part of a 65+ ladies only club where I volunteer to help to help improve members with their game.

I count myself extremely fortunate to have reached a platform now where I have the opportunity to network, to share my experiences and expertise with other females who have faced similar challenges and barriers in sport. I am firmly committed to raising awareness of females experiences in sport and removing barriers to play. Covid-19 has undoubtedly affected us all however, recently published Sport England Research has found that disabled people, people with long-term health conditions and people from Black, Asian, and other diverse ethnic communities have been disproportionately impacted. I believe through learning, understanding others’ experiences and being proactive in the community is a way forward to demonstrate sport should and can be inclusive for all.

Josh Rudd – Member

Josh is a personal development specialist and lifestyle coach, currently supporting British Swimming’s World Class Programme after their most successful Olympic Games in Tokyo. With previous experience in Higher Education, Josh has extensive knowledge in a range of sectors. He is a strong advocate for mental health and well-being, supporting athletes during their busy and demanding lives at the highest possible sporting level.

Josh also founded Pride in Water, a network for LGBT athletes, support staff, parents, and allies in aquatic sports. His insight spans a breadth of areas, offering unique perspectives and a fresh outlook to support individuals. He was recognised for his work in the EDI space by being awarded the EIS Innovation Award in 2020.

Kelly Metcalf – Member

I am the Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing for Fujitsu Europe. I am passionate about creating a culture where everyone can thrive and believe that diversity and inclusion are essentially connected to how we sustain wellbeing at work. I have been in this role for nearly 3 years, after a 16-year career at Fujitsu spent in European HR roles, Responsible Business and client management, always with a firm emphasis on culture and change. Prior to Fujitsu, I worked as an HR Graduate at BAE Systems.

I am delighted to be part of Badminton England’s EDI Committee. I want to help ensure that everyone has the support they need to play and enjoy Badminton and to progress professionally in the game if they wish to do so. I believe that ensuring opportunities for everyone to progress in the game and opening up access for all communities to play, will grow the impact that Badminton can have on societal wellbeing and ensure it is an even more sustainable sport for the future.

Ubaid Ul-Rehman – Member

I’m Ubaid and I proudly identify as a Muslim British Pakistani gay man who has a hearing impairment. I’m a Senior Diversity and Inclusion Adviser for the College of Policing and have over 20 years of experience of working in, and with, the police service. Since 1999, I’ve led on, or been involved in, some form of ground-breaking diversity related piece of work such as co-founding the first UK based LGBT+ social support group for Muslims. For the last five years, I’ve been the chair of Goslings, London’s largest and most diverse LGBT+ badminton club, and won the Out for Sport LGBT+ Sports Role Model of the Year Award in 2019. I am an advisor on Tell MAMA’s London Advisory Board, working to ensure victims of hate crime have a voice and receive quality services. And, recently, I’ve been recruited on Badminton England’s EDI committee.

It is important badminton becomes the sport of choice for people from all backgrounds where they can have fun, get fit and feel good about themselves. It’s vital anyone can attend a badminton session and feel that none of their personal characteristics – such as their disability, their caring responsibilities, or their sexual orientation – will stop them from getting the most out of this sport we all love. I want to do my part to help make these environments the lived norm across badminton.

By being on Badminton England’s EDI committee, I will work with the team to deliver on their committed EDI strategic objectives that I believe will drive through the principles and behaviours needed to increase, value, and nurture the diversity across badminton clubs and improve inclusion where everyone can be who they are whilst playing badminton without fear of prejudice and discrimination.