We help athletes and event participants to reach their goals. We do this by providing trained therapists to work at a whole range of different events – from charity fundraising endurance races in the wilds of Scotland to city centre marathons, cross continent record breaking events and extreme polar expeditions.
For over a decade Athletes’ Angels has worked all over the UK and abroad. Our very first events were in Scotland, supporting charity endurance races in the mountains of the Highlands. Since then we’ve grown to become the UK’s largest provider of event specific therapists in the outdoor endurance world
There are now hundreds of skilled therapists working with us each year, in some of the most amazing and inspiring locations in the UK and abroad. We’re a multi skilled group of people including physiotherapists, massage therapists, sports therapists, osteopaths and podiatrists, all brought together through our love of the outdoors, a real passion for what we do and a desire to use our skills in new and different ways.
We’ve come a long way since 2001 and so have our aspirations. A percentage of profits generated by Athletes’ Angels (after our therapists get paid!) are used to benefit others through three programmes:
- Athletes’ Angels Scholarship – a UK programme to train massage therapists who, due to past social circumstances, have not previously had the chance to study.
- Temi Children’s Medical Fund - Temi is a beautiful permacultured social organisation in Northern Georgia. Here, despite suffering severe social difficulties before arriving at Temi, many children have found a home, protection and love. We provide therapist assistance and are fundraising for a children's medical fund.
- Developing Physio - In 2012, we start on our biggest project yet. We are researching and initiating a tool for physiotherapists to take into developing countries in order to train local health workers in basic physio skills.
If you have an interest in any of these projects, please do contact Fiona.
Our Office Team.
Our office is located in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland, in Aberfeldy. Of course, most of the action takes place in areas well beyond that. So when we introduce our “office staff” think laptops and unusual locations, as well as desks and phones!
Caroline Mackechnie (Caz) - Owner/ Director:
Caroline started working with Athletes' Angels in 2007 in an administrative and logistics role and progressed to Operations Director over the course of 2 years. She has organised therapy teams for hundreds of events and expeditions including the London Marathon, the O'Neill Highland Surfing Champs, the Oxfam Trailtrekker and Trailwalker events and Land's End to John O' Groats bike rides. Caroline has outstanding attention to detail and does everything she can to support charities looking for therapists for events. Since joining the team she got the bug and has taken part in a few endurance events herself, completing a 50m duathlon in 2010 and Scotland's Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon in 2011 and 2012. Caroline is also a sports massage therapist and a lecturer in sports event massage on our courses. She is passionate about training and supporting therapists in the event world, in turn helping each individual athlete achieve their dream. In December 2012, Caroline bought Athletes' Angels from Fiona Lindsay which they are both absolutely thrilled about. She will continue to drive the company forward as she has done for the last few years and looks forward to continuing to work with Fiona on the Athletes' Angels scholarship and Developing Physio project.
Fiona Lindsay (Fi), Founder & Developing Physio Director:
Fiona is the original Athletes’ Angel! She founded the service in 2001 whilst working as a Senior Physiotherapist. She is ex-TA Royal Army Medical Corps and has worked in the NHS, Tibetan refugee settlements, Indian clinics, on hundreds of endurance events and expeditions. Fiona believes that everyone can reach above and beyond their potential. She founded Matterhorn Medical Ltd, Britain's top provider of emergency medical support to large scale wilderness events. Fiona has raised thousands of pounds and awareness for charities including; Paralympians, Children's Brain Tumour, Greyhounds, Paediatric Polio, Arctic orphanages and Temi childrens' medical fund, Georgia. She has done this through expeditions, e.g. the Everest Marathon, Polar expeditions and solo bike expeditions through Pakistan and Cambodia. She has travelled extensively and lived in Asia. Fiona has a passion to support those in need and, having now handed the reins over to Caz, is now working on 'Developing Physio'.
Jennifer Jackson (Jen), Tutor and Team Leader:
Jen is a Senior Sports Physiotherapist with a further degree in Applied Sport Science. She has worked in many fields of Physiotherapy including the NHS, the military, private sports injury clinics and in wilderness endurance sports. Jen has vast experience of working with athletes including the Danish Ski Federation and the Scottish International Girls' Football teams. Jen now specialises in endurance sports and skiing both in the UK and internationally and during the winter months Jen works in the French Alps. She is a lead lecturer on our Taping for Sports Injuries course and has worked on many of our expeditions in the UK and Europe. As a keen runner, skier and hiker, Jen is passionate about supporting others in this area.
Gianni Bassi (Baz), Tutor and Team Leader:
Baz is an endurance eventer himself; from sailing across the Atlantic several times to running marathons and completing quadrathlons. He is a senior Physiotherapist specialising in endurance sports, with a further degree in Applied Sport Science. He has a huge range of experience from working with the military and NHS to working in private practice, both in the UK and Internationally. Baz has a flair for making things happen in an instant with a calm and easy manner. He is a lead lecturer on our Taping for Sports Injuries course and has supported a vast number of events and expeditions with Athletes’ Angels, from the O'Neill Highland Surfing Championships to John O' Groats / Land's End charity bike rides.
I really do love working at the events and think what Athletes' Angels does as an organisation is brilliant. I'm more than happy to help in any way I can and would love to become more involved in the future if an opportunity arises". Beth Halford - Physiotherapist
