We are delighted that Hannah is part of our BRIT Ambassador family and championing the BRIT Challenge to support and improve young adult and student mental health and fitness throughout the UK. Hannah is a double Olympian who was an integral member of the England and Great Britain Hockey team who won gold at the 2015 European Championships and gold at the 2016 Olympic Games. She amassed over 150 caps for England and Great Britain. Since her retirement as an elite athlete, Hannah has become an Executive Leadership Coach working with businesses around the world and is a People & Change consultant at PA Consulting where she specialises in developing high performing teams and shaping culture.
“I am thrilled to be part of the BRIT Ambassador family to support and improve young adult mental health throughout the UK.
As a student at Loughborough University and Nottingham Trent University, and having spent over seventeen years involved with England and Great Britain Hockey as a player and coach, I am acutely aware of the increase in mental health challenges faced by young adults and students.
Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has affected all our lives, there are still many young adults and students who are feeling isolated, suffering with mental health difficulties and have limited access to support and help; especially those who were already struggling to cope, are vulnerable or are living with disabilities and limited mobility.
Delivering hope, encouragement and inspiration is vital and the British Inspiration Trust (BRIT) are doing all they can to support and improve the mental health and fitness of as many students and young adults as possible by delivering their annual UK-wide BRIT Challenge. The BRIT Challenge has been designed to be inclusive in order to enable young and adults and students of all abilities to take part; at home or on campus. To ensure students throughout the UK can participate, I hope every university and college embraces the BRIT Challenge and enters teams.
BRIT delivers inspiration and encouragement to students and young adults by inviting retired and current Olympians, Paralympians and sports personalities to join their BRIT Ambassador family. The role of BRIT Ambassadors is to choose a university and/or college they are affiliated to, live near or attended, and encourage them to enter teams in the BRIT Challenge, destigmatise mental health and champion equality, diversity and inclusion. I urge my fellow Olympians, Paralympians and sports personalities to unite as BRIT Ambassadors and offer their support to improve young adult mental health throughout the UK.
I would be thrilled to support students and staff at Loughborough University and Nottingham Trent University as they take on their BRIT Challenge.”
Dr Hannah Macleod MBE
Olympic and European Champion, double Olympian and Leadership Coach
Hannah began her youth career at St Ives Hockey Club in Cambridge. After progressing to their first team, she went on to play club hockey for St Albans, Leicester and Loughborough Students. Hannah completed her Bachelor of Science in Sport and Exercise Science at Loughborough University between 2002 and 2005. In 2004, at the age of 19, Hannah made her international debut for England. Since then, Hannah amassed over 150 caps for England and Great Britain. Between 2005 and 2009, Hannah completed her PhD in Environmental Exercise Physiology at Nottingham Trent University. Hannah was an integral member of the England and Great Britain hockey teams that saw the Great Britain team progressing through the world rankings from being 8th in the world in 2009 to their Olympic successes over the next seven years. Between 2010 and 2012, Hannah completed her International Olympic Committee Diploma in Sport Nutrition. Hannah represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games in London where the team won bronze, and then went on to win silver at the 2012 Champions Trophy in Argentina. In 2015, Hannah completed her Coaching Performance Excellence qualification with Middlesex University. Hannah was part of the team that won gold at the European Championships in 2015 and in 2016, Hannah made history as part of the Great Britain team who won gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Between 2018 and 2020, Hannah completed her qualification in Exercise Coaching and Mentoring at City, University of London. After retiring from professional sport as an elite athlete, Hannah has followed her passion for understanding how to maximise performance, individually and in collaboration with others, and qualified as an Executive Leadership Coach. To test her principals on high performance teams, Hannah competed for Great Britain in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race with a crew of 20 novice sailors. For the past four years, Hannah has been the Great Britain Elite Development Programme assistant coach with England and Great Britain Hockey, and is also the U21 team coach. For more information about hockey in England, please visit the England Hockey website.
For more information about Great Britain Hockey, please visit their website.
Hannah is a People & Change consultant at PA Consulting where she specialises in developing high performing teams and shaping culture.