New Sport and Recreation Alliance chair announced

Andy Reed has been appointed as the new chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance. He succeeds Brigid Simmonds OBE who will step down at the organisation’s AGM in July, having reached the end of a maximum of three two-year terms of office.

Andy has a very strong background in the sector, having served arguably the UK’s sportiest constituency – Loughborough – with distinction for 13 years.  As an MP he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Kate Hoey while she was Sports Minister and also introduced the 10 Minute Rule Bill for Community Amateur Sports Club legislation.

Now director of his own advocacy company, he leads his local county sports partnership, is chair of the voice of sports volunteers (SSPV) and of the Volleyball England Foundation, as well as a board member of Special Olympics GB and of the ASA. He also continues to turn out for his beloved Birstall Rugby Club where he has played for the last 25 years.

Andy hopes that his chairmanship will build on the foundations of his predecessor.

“It’s a cliché in these situations to say what a great honour it is to be asked to chair an organisation like this – but it genuinely is. Sport plays an incredibly important part in our society and, as of July, I will be leading an organisation that brings together no fewer than 320 national governing and representative bodies, 150,000 clubs and millions of participants. That really is something to look forward to.

“I’ve also got to pay tribute to the work of the current chair, Brigid Simmonds. She has led the Sport and Recreation Alliance from the front and, like nearly every volunteer in sport, has rarely had the plaudits she’s deserved. The Alliance does its best work out of the public eye – building bridges and opening doors – and Brigid has played a massive part in that. I know, having seen that work in and around parliament over the last few years from the inside.
Outgoing chair Brigid Simmonds also spoke warmly of her time as the organisation’s chair.

“It’s been a pleasure to have been the chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance. It’s a great organisation to be part of – effective and focused but also warm and committed. All any chair can wish for is to hand on ’the baton’ in a little better shape than he or she found it, and I think I can say that.

“The Alliance has got a great new chair in the shape of Andy Reed. Much of the Sport and Recreation Alliance’s work is focused on Westminster and Whitehall and Andy’s passion for the sector and his knowledge of that area is very strong. I’m sure he will prove to be a great leader of the organisation.”

Volleyball England chief executive, Lisa Wainwright, also endorsed Andy’s record.

“Andy is an excellent chair with significant experience of the sector and a wonderful way of engaging everyone. He has been an absolute pleasure to work with over the years and it is great to hear him taking a more formal role with the Alliance.”

LTA chief executive Roger Draper has worked closely with Andy over the years and shares Lisa’s view:

“I am delighted to hear about Andy’s appointment as chair of the Alliance.  Given his wealth of experience from Parliament and his passion for sport, I am sure that he will bring a great deal to the organisation at a crucial time for sport.”

Notes to editors:

• The Sport and Recreation Alliance is the umbrella body and trade association for more than 320 governing and representative bodies of sport and recreation. Its members include oganisations like the FA, the Rugby Football Union, UK Athletics, the Ramblers, British Rowing and the Royal Academy of Dance.  Its role is to speak up on their behalf, represent their views and to provide them with services which make their life easier.
• The organisation was known as CCPR until December 2010
• Andy Reed begins his two-year term of office at the end of the Alliance’s next AGM on 20 July.
 

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