Meet the Team

Julie joined the team in 1996 as the first employee of Sandford Lido Ltd, the charity that operates the Lido. Her role has evolved over the years, including working as a Lifeguard and Duty Manager and she is now the CEO. Following the successful re-negotiation of our lease with Cheltenham Borough Council, Julie’s key responsibilities are to support Fabia with overseeing the running of the Lido and to maintain communication between the Board of Trustees and the rest of the permanent team. She is also responsible for planning our strategic future to ensure our amazing Lido not only survives these uncertain times, but thrives.

Fabia joined the Lido as the Events Manager in 2018 and has been General Manager since 2021. Originally from Guernsey, she moved to Cheltenham to study Sports Therapy at the University of Gloucestershire and has continued to live and work here since. She has worked in the leisure industry for the last 15 years, starting as a Personal Trainer before progressing into management. As General Manager, Fabia is responsible for overseeing the whole operation of the Lido, ensuring that budgets are met and creating synergy between all departments. She works closely with Julie and Board of Trustees with quarterly updates each year and she is also a Lifeguard Trainer Assessor.

Joe joined as a Lifeguard in 2015 and started working part-time during the winter of 2018. He became a Duty Manager in the summer of 2019 before securing a full-time role as Operations Supervisor at the end of the season. Joe then became Assistant Manager (Assets) at the end of 2020, where he is now responsible for maintaining the safety of the facility, running and maintaining the plant room and managing external contractors. He works on site with Mike, Graham and our lovely volunteers over the winter to ensure the site is always looking its best. Joe is also a Level 2 Swim Teacher.

New to the 2023 Season Ashley joins us as our Operations Manager. Having previously worked for Butlins, he enjoys the busy environment and is looking forward to his first lido season. Ashley has been a lifeguard since 2009 and has since worked his way into the managerial positions of the leisure industry. Ashley deals with our operations at Sandford Parks Lido but is the main point of contact for swimming lessons, fitness classes, pool parties and club bookings. He is also a Duty Manager onsite and is a qualified Lifeguard Trainer Assessor.

Adam joined as a lifeguard in 2014. He became a Duty Manager at the age of 19 and worked every season alongside his studies at the University of East Anglia. Adam joined the permanent team in 2021 and is responsible for running all events at the Lido, such as the triathlon and our cinema nights. He works closely with our sponsors and is always on the lookout for new potential partnerships for the Lido. Adam deals with seasonal recruitment and is responsible for our team of lifeguards, receptionists and general attendants, as well as our volunteers. He is also a Duty Manager and a qualified Lifeguard Trainer Assessor.

Graham joined the Lido as a lifeguard in 2013 before becoming a Duty Manager in 2015. Since 2017 he has taken on a more maintenance-focused role and he is now responsible for the upkeep of the whole site as well as maintaining our pool plant room. His tasks include chemical testing, fixing broken equipment and carrying out risk assessments. Graham has a wealth of experience in the industry and works closely with Joe and Mike to ensure the site is safe for staff and visitors. With experience in triathlons, Graham is also a vital part of our events team and assists Adam with the set up and organisation of many of our events

Sally started as a Receptionist in 2017 and then joined the permanent team as an Administrator in 2018. Sally looks after the day-to-day financial side of the business, ensuring invoices are paid on time and raising/sending out invoices for incoming money. She gathers and forwards the payroll information to our outside providers to make sure our permanent and seasonal teams receive their salaries each month. Sally also collects customer feedback through our NPS surveys, assists with the private hire administration and completes a whole range of other tasks to assist the team.

Cathryn initially joined the Lido in 2017, after a brief hiatus in 2020, Cathryn returned to the Lido in 2021 and rejoined the permanent team in 2023. Cathryn is the Marketing and Communications Officer for Sandford Parks Lido. Cathryn is responsible for the development and implementation of our marketing channels. With a background in broadcasting and marketing, Cathryn is also tasked with liaising with our valued customers and press communication.

Mike has been enjoying the Lido since he was a young boy in 1968. He has volunteered here since the late 80s, completing various tasks from cleaning to site maintenance. In 2020, Mike joined our permanent team after retiring from running his own business. He works alongside Graham and Joe to keep the site looking its best and his jobs include cleaning the pool, painting the turnstiles and fencing and fixing broken equipment. He also works closely with our team of volunteers to maintain the Lido’s beautiful gardens.