I HELP THE WORLD’S BEST ATHLETES, TEAMS & LEADERS IN SPORT TURN COMMUNICATION INTO THEIR COMPETITIVE EDGE

Black and white portrait of a woman with long, wavy hair smiling with arms crossed, wearing a denim shirt, against a plain background.

ABOUT ME…

I help athletes, teams and leaders in sport turn communication into their competitive edge.

I’ve spent over 15 years working in high-performance sport, helping people and organisations communicate with clarity and purpose. I’ve seen how the right words can build confidence, strengthen connection and shape team culture.

Before setting up my own business, I held senior roles with England Rugby, Team GB, World Rugby and the UK Sports Institute; working inside world-class teams in high-pressure environments. That experience shaped how I work today: combining strategic thinking with a deep understanding of what it takes to perform at the highest level.

I now work with some of sport’s most ambitious rights holders and governing bodies, alongside one-to-one coaching with athletes, coaches and leaders preparing for their biggest moments.

When I’m not working, you’ll find me racing or riding my bike - usually in search of a good hill.

CV

Services

  • I help organisations and individuals in sport and business shape their messaging, define their tone of voice and deliver communication that cuts through, whether they’re evolving their brand, engaging stakeholders or navigating change. This includes:

    • Communication audits and strategy

    • Tone of voice and brand narrative development

    • Internal and leadership communications

    • Cross-functional comms planning

  • Bring your message to life and make it matter. From global to grassroots campaigns, I work with rightsholders, brands and performance teams to craft compelling stories that connect with audiences. This includes:

    • Campaign strategy and planning

    • Messaging frameworks and story arcs

    • Scriptwriting and narrative development

    • Stakeholder and media engagement

  • I support organisations and individuals to prepare for - and respond to - high-pressure, high-profile situations. I offer calm, pragmatic advice and work alongside teams to manage messaging, protect reputation and stay aligned in fast-moving scenarios. This includes:

    • Issues and crisis response planning

    • Key message development and media handling

    • Internal communications during critical moments

    • Scenario planning and team training

  • I offer 1:1 and small-group coaching to help athletes, leaders and high performers communicate with impact; on camera, in meetings, on the pitch and under pressure. This work blends mindset, messaging and delivery; building confidence and presence when it matters most.

    • Personal messaging and narrative work

    • Media and interview coaching

    • Leadership and influence communication

    • Ongoing feedback and performance prep

get in touch

clients

SAIL GP logo with the tagline "Powered by Nature" underneath.
A black silhouette of a cat with pointed ears and a curved tail, sitting and facing to the right.
Logo of British Wheelchair Basketball featuring a stylized wheel with red, gray, and blue sections and bold text in red, gray, and blue.
Logo for Girona Racing Academy with large white letters and smaller text on a black background.
State Farm logo with red and blue color scheme and stylized tree design.
UK Sport logo with a stylized person in red and navy blue, in a celebratory pose.
Pixelated logo of UK Sports Institute with a stylized checkmark and text
Loughborough Sport logo featuring a stylized shield with a flame symbol, in navy, white, and maroon colors.
Logo of the British Paralympic Association with a stylized lion's head in red and blue flames, the text 'British Paralympic Association' beneath it, and the Paralympic symbol with three agitos in red, blue, and green.
Logo for the British Triathlon Association, featuring a stylized figure running, swimming, and cycling, with the text 'British Triathlon' below.
United Kingdom Athletics logo with red and blue text on a white background.

CASE STUDIES

  • Cyclists lined up at the start of a race on a street with spectators and photographers, banners, and tents along the sides, in a town with colorful buildings.

    BRITISH CYCLING - TOUR OF BRITAIN WOMEN

    Role: Lead Communications
    Services: Storytelling · PR · Media Relations · Event Management · Athlete Engagement

    I was contracted by British Cycling to lead the communications for the inaugural Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Women, with a clear brief: establish a compelling narrative for the new event and drive widespread, positive media coverage.

    In under three months, I developed and delivered a full communications strategy; from press releases and media briefings to fan-focused stories and partnership announcements. The goal was to connect with core cycling audiences in the UK and beyond, while also bringing new fans into the world of women’s cycling.

    By leveraging strong relationships with national and cycling media, I helped tp secure over 300 pieces of coverage before, during and after the event, with attendance from major broadcasters and publications at every stage of the Tour.

  • A group of people sitting around a table in a room with stone walls, attending a presentation with a woman standing near a large screen displaying a colorful chart.

    performance communication coaching: girona

    Role: Workshop Design & Facilitation
    Services: Performance Communication Coaching · Workshop Delivery · Leadership Development · Storytelling

    I was invited to Girona - a thriving community for professional triathletes and cyclists - to deliver two workshop sessions with elite-level triathletes, coaches and teams, exploring how communication can be used as a powerful tool for performance.

    Drawing on my experience across Olympic, Paralympic, and professional sport, we looked at how communication sits alongside training, recovery and mindset as a critical driver of results. The sessions focused on understanding personal communication styles, influencing under pressure, and the role of communication in shaping high-performance team culture.

    The result: open, energised conversations, practical tools for building influence and impact and a fresh understanding of how storytelling, clarity and confidence can give athletes and coaches a competitive edge.

  • Paralympic athletes in wheelchairs being interviewed by a man with a microphone, with media and spectators in the background at a public venue.

    PARALYMPICSGB - PARIS 2024

    Role: London Communications Lead
    Services: Communications Strategy · Media Relations · Event Design & Delivery · Athlete Engagement

    ParalympicsGB engaged me to lead the communications strategy for the Homecoming of over 200 British athletes returning from their most successful Paralympic Games to date in Paris.

    The brief was clear: create a high-impact media moment that reflected both the scale of the sporting achievement and the growing profile of Paralympic sport. Beyond logistics and delivery, the focus was on securing top-tier media presence and ensuring Paralympic athletes were given the platform their performances deserved in the mainstream.

    I developed a targeted media strategy to position the Homecoming as a major national moment, securing attendance from every major UK broadcaster. The result was widespread coverage across BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky News and Sky Sports News, plus front-page and feature placements in national print and online titles. The event reinforced ParalympicsGB’s reputation as one of the UK’s most compelling sporting teams — and demonstrated the impact of strategic, high-profile communications in elevating Paralympic sport.

get in touch

Whether you’re looking for support with a specific project, want to explore coaching, or just fancy a conversation about performance and communication, I’d love to hear from you.

Drop me a message using this form, or send an email directly to charlotte@charlotteharwood.com.

  • “When I needed extra support on a high-profile event launch and didn’t have time to recruit, Charlotte was my first port of call. Having worked with her at Team GB throughout an Olympic cycle, I knew her calm, methodical approach and sharp eye for detail would ensure everything was delivered to the highest standard, with minimal fuss. She’s a true professional — reliable, thoughtful, and always one step ahead; both strategically astute and operationally hands-on.”

    UK Athletics

  • "Charlotte is a really savvy and efficient media operator who is terrific at both the operations side of communications and building trusted relationships. She is incredibly good at what she does."

    Senior Journalist, Tokyo 2020 Olympics

  • "It has been an absolute pleasure to have Charlotte on board for the lloyds Tour of Britain Women. Charlotte was an important part of the team and played a key role in the event's success."

    British Cycling

  • "Charlotte has been a brilliant addition to the English Institute of Sport leadership team. She made a fast start and kept up a superb level throughout the period of maternity cover."

    UK Sports Institute