Les Roberts - Co-Founder of AKIN

British Born in England in 1953.  Began career in 1975 and qualified as a Company Secretary in 1980. Worked as an accountant in London and the Midlands before moving to Gibraltar in 1990 to head up the Company Management Department of the local office of Ernst & Young. 

• 1995/6 - Served as Secretary and then Chairman of The Association of Trust & Company Managers (ATCOM) and became one of the founding members of The Finance Centre Council, which was established as (and remains) an advisory body to the Government of Gibraltar.
• 2001 - Awarded Associate Membership of The Compliance Institute (UK) and became founding member of the Gibraltar Association of Compliance Officers (GACO) in 2004.
• 2002 – Established own business providing corporate and business advisory services.
• 2003 - Awarded Commissioner-for-Oaths status (Gibraltar).
• In 2004 Les fulfilled a life-long ambition to help underprivileged children in developing countries when, in conjunction with Leslie Bruzon, they founded “The Association for Kids In Need (AKIN)”.  A father of four children Les shares with the others on the AKIN team an honest desire to see all children enjoying the same opportunities and making the most out of life.  

Other achievements include in 2006 establishing and acting as Founding Chairman of “Childline Gibraltar”, a registered charity for the operation of a telephone helpline service for children on the Rock.

Leslie Bruzon - Co-Founder of AKIN

Leslie is one of the two original founding members of AKIN.  Along with Les he is also one of the original founding members of ChildLine Gibraltar and is also involved with Women In Need (a charity offering refuge to women and their children who are victims of domestic violence).  Leslie decided to start AKIN in an effort to help children who are suffering. 

According to international statistics 20,000 children die every day from things like starvation, lack of water and preventable deceases, this, he says, is unjustifiable by all standards. 

Leslie has undertaken various challenges to raise money for charity including two 24 hour hikes, the London to Brighton Cycle Ride, sponsored Sky Dive and will be participating in the Great North Run in September 2010.

He is a self employed business consultant and was appointed Commissioner for Oaths in 2000.  He is married and has a young daughter.

Jimmy Bruzon - Sierra Leone Team

Jimmy has been working at Toyota Gibraltar Stockholdings (TGS) since 1995. TGS is based in Gibraltar and specializes in the supply of 4x4 vehicles to the aid and charity market and it is through his work in sales that Jimmy has become well acquainted with humanitarian aid efforts which range from small NGO projects to large UN agency projects.

Jimmy has travelled to many countries where there are needs for international aid. He has visited Central America and parts of Africa and it was during a trip to Sierra Leone in 2006 that he became involved in helping the Regent Primary School just outsode of Freetown.

He began by sending much needed material to the school in cars which had been purchased by organisations who were working in Sierra Leone. He soon realised that apart from the materials, the school could do with a much needed refurbishment and it was at this point that Jimmy contacted AKIN to see if they wanted to adopt this project as part of their overseas relief efforts.

The roof at Regent Primary School was refurbished during 2010 and AKIN Sierra Leone have up to late 2011 refurbished three schools in total. Jimmy is determined to continue raising funds to be able to carry out more school refurbishment projects.

Sandy Leavy  -  Sri Lanka Team

Sandy has been involved with The AKIN team since April 2005 within the Sri Lanka Project. She was drawn to the people of the Island while watching the devastation on Boxing Day 2005, with Ruth Holsgrove they work in the Southern Province of the Island.

From January 2005 they became involved with different incentives helping distribute essential goods, rebuild and Youth Groups. On returning to Gibraltar they proceeded to Network local Companies and Associations to raise funds to build new houses and to support a Residential Home for mentally and physically disabled women.

They linked up with AKIN in the March of that year and proceeded to create a Child Sponsorship scheme and The AKIN School of English, of which both are still running and the waiting lists for the school increases daily.

The dream of Sandy Leavy is to raise more funds to finance the opening of more schools country wide allowing more children to benefit  from a higher grade of Education.

Ruth Allyson Holsgrove - Trustee / Sri Lanka Team

Ruth was born and educated in UK, she is married with 2 grown up children and 1 Grandson. She lived in Spain for over 20 Years

Ruth became involved with AKIN following the Tsunami in 2004.

Together with Sandy Leavy initiated a child sponsorship scheme in Sri Lanka and also  The AKIN School of English just over a year ago.

Her aim is to continue to support the children and their families and maybe long term to open another School of English

Recently returned from Sri Lanka and seen first hand of the benefits that our Kids are receiving

Julio J. Alcantara

(Married to Paddy (nee Gomez) – 1968 – two sons, Julian and Simon)

• Trained as teacher: St Mary’s, Strawberry Hill and Loughborough 1959-62;
• Masters in Education and Administration – London University – 1980
• Assistant Head at launch of Bayside Comprehensive School 1972
• Director of Education – 1983/1995
• Mayor of Gibraltar – elect for 2011

He was the first-ever Gibraltarian to become the professional head of the Education Service after a successful 26-year period as a teacher. Continuously committed to community and public service throughout his life, mostly with youth, he currently chairs a Government housing committee and the local Scouts Association, as well as serving on the Police Complaints Board.

Perhaps his proudest moment has been the unanimous approval of the motion by Parliament, designating him as Mayor of Gibraltar for 2011.