FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR

With qualifications in both playwork and engineering, Max set up London Play Design in 2017. He has 30 years’ experience of working with children on London’s staffed adventure playgrounds and has designed and built play equipment for 15 years. Max aims to combine sustainable materials, acceptable risk, durability and quirky looks in his designs. Outside of work, he’s a keen tennis player but, despite living near Wimbledon, has so far been overlooked for a wild card entry.

BUSINESS DIRECTOR

Luis is a man of many talents. He has a Level 3 qualification in Youth Work and over 10 years of experience as a playworker in England, Spain, and Brazil. He joined the team in 2018 as a carpenter and, with a degree in marketing and a postgraduate in business planning and management was the natural choice to run our Business. Outside of work, Luis confesses to having (too) many hobbies, including circus skills, climbing, spray painting and sculpture.

COMMUNITY PLAY SPACE PROJECT MANAGER

With a long history working at Adventure Playgrounds, Kevin has a passion for play and ensuring children get the play experiences they deserve.  Kevin spent over 20 years working at Adventure Playgrounds around London and managed Roman Road Adventure Playground in Bow, East London from its inception in 2010 until 2013, helping to establish the playground as a well loved space in the local community.  Before joining LPD, Kevin spent just over 2 years working in the Public Health team at Tower Hamlets Council, helping to establish play as a vital tool in combatting health inequalities in one of the most deprived London Boroughs.  Kevin believes a playful childhood can contribute massively to help children develop into healthy, happy adults who are prepared for life and the adventures it can bring. Outside of work, Kevin has a passion for sports and music, has coached grass roots football teams, was inspired by the kids on one his playground to teach himself to play guitar and dabbles in a bit of DJing. 

PROJECT MANAGER

Working with London Play and LPD for over 10 years, Jerome is a qualified landscape designer. A fierce defender of children’s right to play, he describes his aim as ‘bringing balance to the beams’ and to continue making play structures that children give their stamp of approval to.

PLAY DESIGN & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

Chrissy has been a playworker for over 25 years and is a massive fan of London's adventure playgrounds. She is also an NHS outreach worker specialising in autism, as well as an illustrator, ethnobotanist, bushcraft practitioner, maker, balloon modeller, tree hugger, and proud jack-of-all-trades.

She joined London Play Design in 2025 as a Community Engagement Officer, with a focus on reducing social isolation and strengthening community health, wellbeing, and cohesion through play and nature-based practices.

She is passionate about play, inclusion, art, and nature and the importance of all of these in everyone’s lives.

OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Antonio is in charge of our logistics and supplies. A regular at London’s grassroots music venues for decades, he has recently started volunteering at festivals and promoting events. As for his film work, fighting dragons and demons, conspiring alongside villains or teaming up with royals are just a few of his duties when working as a background artist. Climbs trees to predict the weather and determine which past season’s fashion to wear, but still struggling with the imperial system of units after a quarter of a century in London. And loves tacos

PARTNERSHIP LEAD

Bernadette joined London Play Design in 2021, where she learned how adventure play supports children’s growth and development, and after working in different fields, she found work here that feels more purposeful and aligned with her values.

She’s dedicated to strengthening relationships between partners and beneficiaries through thoughtful communication and meaningful volunteering projects, while also supporting LPD’s digital presence to help the organisation grow and reach wider audiences.

She loves to travel and explore the world with a genuine curiosity for people and cultures, embracing each place through immersion, whether beneath the sea, atop a mountain, or anywhere along the horizon. All while being a loving, caring nanay to her daughter, who inspires her every day.

ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE CONSULTANT

With a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and over a decade of experience in accounting consultancy firms.

As a service provider for London Play, Gellie strongly resonate with LPD’s vision, which inspires her to contribute by building reliable financial reports that support the organization's continued growth.

Outside of work, she enjoys a balanced lifestyle. She can be a homebody, organizing, reading books, and watching movies, but she also loves being adventurous when it comes to travel and social activities.

PARTNERSHIPS ASSISTANT

Jo’s career has followed a range of different roles. Being a Tourism Management graduate, she has worked in real estate, operations, talent acquisition, and is now a Partnership Assistant at LPD. She was also an executive assistant for a biochemistry-focused nonprofit for a while. Curiosity is what keeps her going.

She is the type of person to take on a 75-meter free fall with all adrenaline, no scream, yet balances that spirit with a calm, loving life at home with her partner and their German Shepherd, Sif.

STUDENT VOLUNTEERING & SOCIAL IMPACT COORDINATOR

Rosie has spent the past few years living all over the world and is excited to be back in her hometown of London to help protect children’s right to play and to care for the city’s adventure playgrounds.

She is driven by community, creativity, and the power of volunteering, and loves getting to channel her values to connect students with LPD’s mission.

Outside of work, Rosie can be found volunteering (she’s been a part of various community-focused charities for the past ten years!), reading in coffee shops, rollerskating, writing postcards, making pom-poms, listening to disco music, and getting distracted by anything with glitter on it.

IMPACT AND PARTNERSHIPS CONSULTANT

Lia is a Peruvian urban practitioner with a strong interest in public spaces and the role they play in everyday social life. Her work spans research projects and multidisciplinary teams, where she has supported participatory processes and community engagement to improve shared urban environments.

At London Play Design, she works as an Impact and Partnerships Consultant, focusing on strengthening relationships with partners, understanding and communicating the organisation's impact, and supporting collaborations that highlight the importance of play spaces in the city and help expand access to them.

Outside of work, she enjoys coffee and long walks as a way to explore and experience cities.