The Team
Behind Dersingham Sports Pavilion is a dedicated team of individuals committed to fostering a vibrant sports community.
Trustees
Meet the Dedicated Team Behind Dersingham Sports Pavilion
David Collingham, Chairman Desingham Sports Ground Association (DSGA)
Chair
David’s background is in commercial and business management , having founded international executive search firm, Ruston Poole International in 1992. Retiring in 2015, he has subsequently contributed to community projects in West Norfolk, and as a Trustee in planning the King’s Lynn Festival, West Norfolk’s premier arts and music Festival. David became inaugural Chairman of the Dersingham Village Centre Association-serving between 2017 and 2022 to oversee the management of the successful £1.1 million Village Centre rebuilding project. A keen if slow paced sportsman he is a playing member of Dersingham Tennis Club. He was nominated inaugural Chairman of DSGA in December 2023, which has a brief to oversee the funding and renovation of Dersingham Sports Pavilion.
Richard Southgate
Trustee
Richard is currently a director at BP and previously was on the executive board at Bernard Matthews. Richard has been involved with Dersingham Sportsground for 35 years serving as committee member and Treasurer. He has overseen many developments of the facilities including expansion of the sportsground to accommodate 3rd football pitch, and raising the funding for the building of the existing tennis courts. Having been born and bred in Dersingham, he played football and cricket for the village for many years in his younger days, and he is very keen to support the continued development of the excellent sporting facilities provided at Dersingham for everyone to enjoy in some physical outdoor activities.
Dennis Wright
Trustee
Dennis is a local business owner and served in the Sandringham Fire Brigade for 34 years, the last few as station manager. He has been a parish councillor since 2010 and is a trustee of Dersingham United Charities. He was a member of the Parish Council committee responsible for planning and delivering the Dersingham Village Centre. He played football for Dersingham in his youth and volunteered to become a trustee of the DSGA as he is passionate about providing an up to date, modern pavilion at the Sports Ground and brings his local expertise and knowledge to the charity.
Penny Hopkins
Trustee
Penny has been a helper at Dersingham Rovers Football for over 30 years and Minutes Secretary of Dersingham Sportsground Committee for 15 years. Penny has been a fundraiser for the football teams by producing match day programmes, organising race nights, quiz nights and other general fundraising events.
Judy Collingham
Trustee
Judy is Chair of Dersingham Tennis and a committed tennis player as well as being a passionate advocate of the benefits of all sport for all ages. She has been a Borough Councillor for the past 13 years and her ambition for her community to offer first class facilities for all activities motivates her to wish to see this pavilion project come to fruition.
Coral Shepherd
Trustee
Coral moved to Dersingham in 2014, after a career in a busy planning department in SE London. In 2017 she joined the Parish Council and quickly became Chairman of the Communications Committee. In 2019 she became Chairman of the Parish Council and was the leader of the group that delivered a popular skatepark in the village recreation ground. She is a trustee of the Dersingham Village Centre Association who are responsible for running and maintaining the Village Centre for the Parish Council. She brings her experience of working with the public and delivering projects on time and on budget to the Association.
Su Foxley
Trustee
Su moved to Dersingham in 2024 having enjoyed several years living abroad. All her working life was spent in the NHS until taking early retirement.
Her last post was as a Nurse Consultant working for Kings College Hospital in London. The NHS enabled Su to gain skills required to sucessfully manage people in sickness and health. Su is passionate about all forms of sport and is often found supporting the like.
Harry Collison
Trustee
I’ve proudly served as the Men’s First Team Manager at Dersingham Rovers for the past seven years, with nearly 15 years of involvement at the club across both playing and management roles. When the adult section folded in 2018, I was part of the team that rebuilt it from the ground up. Today, we’re thriving with five adult teams, a strong committee, and a successful merger with our youth setup.
Beyond the club, I’ve spent over 13 years working in the sports industry. I’m currently a Senior Manager and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Premier Education, overseeing operations across West Norfolk and East Cambridgeshire.
