Sporting Excellence Inspires Gamechanger at AKS Lytham

AKS Lytham is proud to announce that its new Notable Alumni Gallery for Sport is now installed in the Sports Centre foyer, offering current students a daily source of inspiration through the achievements of six exceptional former pupils. The gallery celebrates alumni who have excelled at national and international level, while also recognising their important role as Gamechanger Ambassadors for the AKS Lytham Foundation.

The six featured ambassadors - Barrie Jon Mather, Callum Hendry, Josh Beaumont, Natalie Panagarry, Sam Lavelle and Tristan Woodman - each represent a unique sporting journey, united by a shared foundation built at AKS and its heritage schools.

Barrie Jon Mather stands out as one of the few athletes to have represented England in both Rugby League and Rugby Union, achieving success across domestic and international stages. His career reflects not only elite performance but also leadership across professional and Olympic sport.

In football, Callum Hendry has built a reputation as a dynamic forward, earning Player of the Year honours in both Scotland and England, while Sam Lavelle has demonstrated outstanding leadership as a central defender, famously captaining Morecambe to a historic promotion at Wembley.

Josh Beaumont enjoyed a distinguished rugby career with Sale Sharks, making over 150 appearances and captaining the club, alongside earning international recognition with England. His consistency and leadership made him one of the most respected forwards in the Premiership.

Natalie Panagarry has achieved remarkable success in netball, captaining Loughborough Lightning to back to back Super League titles and representing England on the world stage, including a bronze medal at the Netball World Cup. Her career is defined by resilience, consistency and elite performance.

Representing the next generation, Tristan Woodman has progressed from AKS to professional rugby with Sale Sharks and England Under 20s, highlighting the continued strength of the school sporting pathway.

While their achievements span different sports and eras, all six ambassadors speak of the same foundations laid during their school years - encouragement from teachers, a strong sporting culture and the development of resilience, teamwork and self-belief.

Their involvement now extends beyond recognition. As Gamechanger Ambassadors, they are supporting the AKS Lytham Foundation mission to provide fully funded, means tested scholarships for talented young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping to widen access to an AKS education. Through a new campaign video and ongoing advocacy, they are helping to raise awareness and inspire support for this life changing initiative.

The Gamechanger campaign will fund fully supported sports scholarships from Year 7 to Year 13, ensuring that talent, not financial circumstance, determines opportunity.

Now positioned at the heart of the Sports Centre, the Notable Alumni Gallery is more than a celebration of success. It is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved, and an invitation to the wider AKS community, particularly alumni and supporters, to help create these opportunities for the next generation. Read more about our notable alumni https://oaksconnect.com/pages/sporting-notable-alumni-gallery

Whether through a single donation of any size or regular giving, every contribution makes a difference. To find out more and support the campaign, visit http://oaksconnect.com/supportus.

This gallery also marks the beginning of a growing legacy, with plans to expand and recognise more notable alumni over time, reflecting the full breadth of sports delivered at AKS and celebrating excellence across all disciplines.