CEO - Nicky Banger

Nicky has great energy and drive to hit goals. This comes from his former professional football career, playing at the highest level Premiership in England and Scotland, scanning a professional career lasting over 12 years  starting at Southampton Football Club alongside players including Matt Le Tissier, Rodney Wallace and Alan Shearer.

Following this, he has 14 years experience as a commercial manager at four clubs of conference and football league level and as a reflection of this, generated over 4 million pounds of revenue in that time.

He is a UEFA B qualified coach/FA Level 3. To achieve this certification means the coach is not only concentrating with what the player on the ball is doing, but also the players around the ball, and players away from the ball.

As CEO, this definitely reflects Nicky’s personality and direction for The Knights Foundation. His role involves directing and being kept up to date with his teams activities so they can achieve the goals needed. He also maintains and builds new relationships with individuals and businesses, supporting The Knights Foundation who have the same passion for helping children with disabilities and their families.

Nicky’s drive and determination predominantly comes from his own personal experiences. Being husband to loving wife Steph, devoted father to son Harvey and daughter Sophia, who has Cerebral Palsy.

Sophia was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy over 15 years ago and it changed his focus on what he wanted to do, and really from that point going forwards his aim was not to only help his family but help others. Nicky spends a lot of personal time helping families with children with disabilities and from this has raised in excess of £500,000.

As a parent he relates to the day to day struggles of having a child with a disability, and the effect it can have on families. Nicky understands the needs for parents to juggle their lives, working to earn money to pay for physio costs and equipment needed and finding time for other siblings. Sometimes adaptions to homes are needed which accommodates independent living or further support to the parents/carers.

All throughout his commercial career he has taken immense pleasure in helping families with disabilities so he had no hesitation in accepting the invitation from Tony Knights to become the CEO of The Knights Foundation. Nicky is well connected with others who also want to make a difference to those living with a disability and is fortunate to be able to share his hopes and vision of The Knights Foundation with these friends and acquaintances.

Thanks to these and further supporters and donators of the Knights Foundation, we are able to make a difference to peoples lives. Seeing the smiles on faces of those living with a disability, parents/carers and siblings, makes us feel great! All of the hard work and time we at The Knights Foundation, Supporters, Patrons and Volunteers put in is greatly appreciated and so worthwhile.

Nicky’s focus for The Knights Foundation is to be about inclusion , bridging the gap between abled and disabled people and with this focus will come fun activities for us all to be a part of.

Responsibility of the CEO

• Identifying good quality Patrons and Donators to be involved with The Anthony Knights Foundation Trust
• Identifying Board of Trustees needed for long term planning.
• Looking not just for corporate members but those who have disabilities, or parents of.
• Talking to businesses about The Knights Foundation and the help we are giving to children of all ranges of disabilities and families within our communities between Hampshire and surrey who need respite.
• Short term aim – help families take respite in various places which the Knights Foundation will fund, also paying for equipment that families with disabled children may need
• Oversee the upkeep and rental of the Knights Foundation Lodge, our fully adapted and accessible luxury holiday Lodge in the New Forest, for families with disabled children to have a holiday in
• Long term aim – to provide Traineeship programmes for young disabled adults (18-24yrs), to give them an introduction to a working life, with the potential for employment
• Managing the sales plan and cash flow forecast

The Knights Foundation – Community Passion which delivers!!