Our people make the company and we are very proud of the unrivalled sporting and destination knowledge that they have been lucky enough to amass over the years.

Our staff take a massive interest in the tours they organise – everyone of us realises that we are responsible for creating lifetime memories. Many of our staff have been with Edwin Doran for more than 20 years.

All our frontline staff have been on tour at some stage so know what makes for a great experience. Exploring both current and new destinations is part of everyone’s role at Edwin Doran and enables us to pass on valuable local knowledge to our tour managers.

Sales Department

Andrew Loughlin - Sales Director

From County Tyrone in Ireland to what seems like round the world 80 times, via a Sports degree in Cardiff, I am a self-confessed sports nut, still playing rugby in my fourth decade.  I head our northern office based in Cheadle in Manchester, working with some great folk both within the company and amongst the many sports people I have had the pleasure to meet over the years.  There is just one problem - I can't fit enough of this life in!

The satisfaction comes in many guises, whether it's seeing a red hot hockey team in Sydney recently, a School's cricket game in St Lucia, or the satisfaction of a rotund prop tell me his great billeting stories whilst on tour in Argentina, and asking,  through his fatigued haze,  "Why would anyone ever want to stay in a hotel?".

So life's motto of doing a job you love and, therefore it is not a job, really can be achieved. Working hard, and definitely playing hard, all in the best possible environment, certainly give life's true rewards.

All time favourite sporting moment:  Being at the 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Dublin watching Gordon Hamilton's try for Ireland against Australia ... then Lynagh went and spoiled what had been a perfect day.  The best and worst of sport and all in the space of minutes!

Most satisfying experience working for EDST: Being asked by some of my sporting heroes for tours advice!  Still makes me nervous.

Nick Fearon - Sales Manager -South East of England

A Geordie schooling (though only in rugby and cricket as I did little else!) before heading South to Chester to earn a 'Desmond' in Sports Science & Geography.  Took a year out to play rugby in Canada, NZ and Oz before becoming a 'Southern Softie' to work for Edwin (the things I've done for that man!), having finally accepted that I'd never play for England.

It's been a huge privilege to have seen as much of the sporting world as I have whilst meeting such a wide range of  interesting people along the way and sharing a pint or three with most of them!  Antarctica is the only continent to have eluded me and only until it thaws enough to put up Rugby Posts !

All time favourite sporting moments: Headingly 1981 and Sydney 2003.

Most satisfying experience working for EDT: Making sure Bob Rees never wins the annual staff Go-Karting championships!

Toby Douglas - Sales Manager - South West of England

I went on tour as a youngster with Edwin Doran  on a fantastic rugby tour to Australia, 7 years before working for the company that sent me there! After a successful gap year in Canada, Australia & New Zealand, I moved back to the West Country to graduate from the University of Gloucestershire.

Rugby is my Sport, Skiing is my leisure, Cricket for a good social gathering nowadays, and my new found love of Squash where I usually lose my cool when getting run around by my much fitter colleagues! 

All time favourite sporting moment: World Cup Final 2003 & hitting Patel for a 6 at the oval (after 5 dot balls). .

Most satisfying experience working for EDST: Getting to work side by side every day with like minded people who love sport and travel as much as I do! 

Jamie Anthony - Sales Executive, North England, Midlands, Scotland and Wales

Starting life under a banana tree in the Bahamas then growing up in Lincolnshire, at Spalding Grammar School, I had been used to travel from a very young age.  From there I went on to Leeds Metropolitan University studying sport and playing my rugby at both the University and Leeds Tykes/Carnegie (as they are known now).  I then went on to work for local authorities and the RFU before joining the team at Edwin Doran. 

Rugby has always been my main sport and I have enjoyed many successes through the years, one being an appearance at Twickenham with Yorkshire U20’s.  The sport has also taken me around the world with tours to Australia, Singapore as well as two summers lapping up the Canadian air whilst playing for the Toronto Nomads. 

All time favourite sporting moment: Josh Lewsey putting in a major hit on Mat Rodgers for England vs Australia breaking some ribs! 

Most Satisfying experience working for EDST: Travelling to Holland within three weeks of working for the company.

Cameron Wake - Sales Executive, South East

Growing up on the playing fields of Oundle School, sport is my lasting memory of childhood. I was exposed to all sports form a very young age and have continued to actively participate in most such as golf, football, hockey, rugby and particularly cricket.

Later in my life I was fortunate enough to attended Oundle School due to the fortuitous circumstances of old man being the master in charge of cricket. I played first team level in all major sports but my focus was cricket from a young age. I developed my game enough to make it in to the England U17’s & U18 squads and on to the Northamptonshire Academy from the age of 14. I. My proudest sporting moment has to be captaining England U18’s with the likes of Stuart Broad in the side. To wear the three lions is special but as captain, it was a dream come true. I continue to play a lot of cricket for the likes of the MCC, and my club side Oundle Town where I’m currently captain. I’m told you are a long time retired from the game so I intend to get the most of out the body before it is thrown into rack and ruin by the time I’m 40.

Cricket has allowed me to travel and see the world meeting people from all types of cultures, creeds, differing backgrounds and walks of life. I believe this is the beauty of travel and speaking from personal experience I’m the first to acknowledge that travel really does broaden the mind and develop you as a person. I have been fortunate enough to go on many sports tours  to such places like India, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and South Africa on three occasions. South Africa would be my destination of choice for a number of reasons but I’m probably bias, as I know the country well after spending six months there working at Boys High School, Paarl in the Cape Winelands.

My path to my current position with EDST came via graduating from Durham University, a spot of teaching and a flirt with the construction industry before finding a job that allows me to professionally mix my two biggest passions in life, sport and travel.

All time favourite sporting moment: England dishing out a somewhat unfamiliar Aussie whooping down under in managing to retain the Ashes in 2010/11 after 24 years of heartache.

Most Satisfying experience working for EDST: Getting out and about and chatting to like minded sporty people about a multitude of different sports and amazing locations that they could visit on tour.

Tiffany Kibblewhite - Sales Coordinator

Netball is ‘my sport’, but I love to get involved in everything. I tried out Lacrosse and even Ultimate Frisbee in my first year of university. I’m also a dedicated Cheerleader, and really hope to join a London team after sadly leaving my Bristol University ‘Bristol Jets’!

I went to school in Warwickshire, where I actually went on one of EDST’s tours to South Africa for 3 weeks! It was an amazing experience and definitely gave me the travel bug. Since then I have been on many more trips with School, University and on my ‘post uni gap year’ where I travelled for 6 months around America, Australasia and South East Asia.

I am fairly new to Edwin Doran, and to London. It is all very exciting and everyone has made it really easy for me to settle in. I love that the whole team here shares a love of sport and travel and the office is never a dull place to be. 

All time favourite sporting moment:  Zinedine Zidane head butting Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup.

Most satisfying experience working for EDST: When Toby saved me from being set on fire at the South Coast Kings Sevens Tournament.

Operations Department

Catherine Birch -  Head of Operations 

My role is organising tours to Canada, North America, South America and the Caribbean.

I graduated from Durham University after obtaining a degree in Sports, Health and Exercise and joined the company later in the year.

I spent a considerable amount of time playing tennis, and represented Kent at Junior and Senior level, and was Captain of the University team. I also played netball and hockey during my school years, where I went on a hockey tour to Australia, organised by EDST!

My all time favourite sporting moment: 2003 Rugby World Cup and 2005 Ashes series.

My most satisfying experience working for EDST:  Meeting the ground handlers I work with in the Caribbean and being shown around by them.

Carrie Roberts - Operations Manager Australasia

A born and bred South African! I enjoyed my schooling in Natal and afterwards attended the University of Natal from ’96-‘98, where I obtained my B.Comm degree.

Since relocating to the UK, I am fortunate to work in the Ops Dept for Edwin Doran Sports Travel – the perfect job for me as it combines two of my passions: sport and travel! I’m looking forward to travelling to destinations that I would probably never get to visit if it wasn’t for my job.

With 10 years of experience in the travel industry and sport tours, I have met some very interesting people and made some very good friends along the way!

Favourite Sporting Moment: South Africa’s win at the 1995 Rugby World Cup

Most Satisfying Moment Working for EDST: Opportunity to visit Singapore for the first time 

Jenny Jones - Assistant Manager Africa and Europe

My role is the operation of the European tours travelling mainly to France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Holland, Portugal  and Malta.

I started off my career in travel as South East Asian Tour Operator in London and enjoyed several trips to that part of the world. I moved to Sydney, Australia and worked in the groups department of a large Travel Agency before returning to the UK to work in the hectic world of a worldwide London-based travel company before finally taking time off to raise two children.

My favourite sporting moment: Either beating Australia in the Rugby World Cup in 2003 or beating Australia in the Ashes in 2005!

Most satisfying experience working for EDST: Securing Irish rugby fixtures 3 months in advance!

Ann Martin - Supporters and Aviation Manager

My role is to co-ordinate the travel arrangements for parents who wish to shadow their son or daughter's tour and enjoy a holiday at the same time. Also dealing with a the worlds major airlines day to day allows me to get the best deals for the tours and the parents of those travelling.

I have been working in the travel industry for many years, mainly in the business, conference and incentive market.  I took a break to try something else, but am now back and loving it.

All time favourite sporting moment:  Winning £250 at The Derby a few years ago!

Most satisfying moment working for EDST:  Working within a very supportive team, who are also great fun.

Greg Gibson - Tour Operator

I am a new member of the operations team here at Edwin Doran having only started in November 2011 after graduating from Southampton Solent University with a Sport Coaching and Development Degree. This is actually my first job in the sports travel industry and although I’ve not been here long I’m already realising that no tour is straightforward! However it is these challenges and my love for sport which attracted me to the role and has left me very much looking forward to working here at EDST.

Football is my major passion in life and although I’ve recently moved to London I was born and bred in Leicester and am a proud Leicester City fan! I’ve followed them all over the country and have been to over 30 football league grounds and am one of the few football fans that can say that they were there when their team beat Manchester United at Old Trafford (Tony Cottee, 30 mins, 1-0!!) In terms of playing, cricket has moved ahead of football as my number one sport. I’m a batsman but can throw down a few useful ‘dibbly dobblies’ when called upon! I played for the Uni and school teams and went on a joint cricket and netball tour with school to Barbados which was a fantastic experience.

Favourite Sporting Moment: Steve Claridge scoring a last minute winner in extra time to send Leicester into the Premier League in the 1996 Play Off Final. 

Victor Alway -  Tour Operator

I was born and grew up in South London. I am a huge rugby fan, having started my career early at the age of 4 in the Rosslyn Park minis. My first tour with them was to Jersey with the U12s, and since then I have been fortunate to tour France, Ireland, Italy, Canada, South Africa, Australia, NZ, Fiji and Cornwall!

I studied Sports Science and Marketing at Exeter University where I had to settle with being a large social contributor to the rugby club because of a bad knee injury.  I now play socially for CS Rugby 1863 and still very much enjoy pulling on the jersey on a Saturday morning.  I also enjoy playing pretty much all other sports, including cricket, golf, football and squash.

As I mentioned before I have been fortunate to go to some amazing places on tours and now I very much enjoy creating lifetime experiences for the new generation of young sportsmen and women.

All time favourite sporting moment: Winning MOM v Lyndsey RFC on tour in Canada with Wallington County Grammar.

Most satisfying experience working for EDST: Speaking to the kids as they come through arrivals after a successful tour!

Louise Evans –  Tour Operator 

I operate the incoming tours to the UK, from schools and clubs visiting from all over the World. My background is working in events, which has served me well for my role at EDST.

I was raised in Shropshire, studied in Sheffield, and then backpacked across Australia in 2005. After returning to the motherland I decided to head off again in 2008, and found myself working within the tourism industry in the beautiful Queenstown, New Zealand, for 2 ½ years. I have been lucky enough to backpack through 8 countries in South East Asia along the way, which was a fantastic experience that I will never forget.

As a youngster I represented my County in football, hockey & athletics... although these days I only play football socially. I love all sports, but football is my passion and it’s great to now be able to watch the Premier league matches without having to get up in the middle of the night!!

Shaun Caffrey -Tour Operator

After graduating from Northumbria University with a degree in Sports Management , I went on to work in the sports travel industry for 3 years before setting off on a 9 month “round the world” trip, travelling to the USA, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia.

A Yorkshireman through and through, I then made the move “down south” and begin working for EDST, where I now operate tours to Africa and the Caribbean. 

Football is my main sport, playing to county and Centre of Excellence level as a youngster.  My appearances on the pitch now are a lot more of a social affair, playing the odd game here and there but still loving every minute of it! 

My all time sporting moment: Watching England win the 2010-11 Ashes Series from the Members Pavillion of the SCG.

Most satisfying moment working for EDST: Travelling to South Africa on a FAM Trip after only working at the company for a month!

 Emily Brown -Tour Operator 

After graduating from Loughborough University in Geography & Sports Science in 2007, I worked abroad as a swimming instructor, activity leader and holiday representative in Lanzarote, Egypt, Mexico, Turkey, Italy, Cyprus and Austria. Organizing sports tours at Edwin Doran allows me to combine my two passions of sport and travel - brilliant!

When I’m not at work, I’m in a swimming pool! Competing at national and international levels, my swimming has taken me all over the UK, and beyond. My most recent highlight was breaking the 200m Individual Medley East Region Masters Record, for my age-group. I’m really looking forward to competing next year and volunteering at the Aquatics Centre at the 2012 Olympics!!

My all time favourite sporting moment: Michael Phelps winning 8 gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

My most satisfying experience working for EDST:  Meeting the team, for the first time, at the Christmas Party!!