Regional Management Board

Swim England West Midland Region is one of the eight regions of Swim England, the national governing body for swimming, diving, artistic swimming and water polo.  The Region was established when the Amateur Swimming Association recognised its regional structure in 2005 and was previously known as ASA West Midland Region.

The Region is made up of the clubs and associations in each of our four affiliated counties organisations:

Swim England West Midland Region works in partnership with Swim England to ensure that we have aligned strategies and development plans.

The Region is managed by a Board of Directors, who lead the regional structure of staff and volunteers. Our regional staff team support our clubs, volunteers, coaches and athletes across the West Midland Region and are the first point of contact for our members. They also review all regional policies and ensure robust governance and budgetary controls to ensure the continued success of the West Midland Region.

Meet the board

The RMB consists of 12 passionate volunteers, each bringing a wealth of experience to the Region.

Simon Kirkland

Regional Chairperson

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I have been honoured to be chair for a number of years although not from a swimming background my career and volunteering has been in sport and sport education. I started as a PE teacher in central Birmingham, then managed a sports centre before being a member of the largest sport development team in the country in Birmingham. At the same time I was coaching to a national level in Basketball, tutoring and assessing coach education. I took the first national development role with England Basketball before being promoted to CEO for nearly five years. I left in 2002 setting up my company Sport Structures and we deliver coach, volunteer and professional staff training and development managing a number of contracts such as Club Matters for Sport England. I still regularly tutor on club development, coach education and assessment. I am a safeguarding tutor for UK Coaching, Swim England and CPSU whilst also leading a major EDI project in Sport.

Contact

[email protected]

Heather Summerill

Finance Director

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I was appointed to the Board of Swim England West Midlands Ltd in May 2022 with a view to becoming Financial Director at the AGM on the retirement of Mike Beard.  This would be a hard act to follow due to Mike’s longstanding with the Region.  My background is Swimming; starting from a young age with Kingsbury Aquarius, Camp Hill Edwardians and Orion but settled later in my life with Tamworth ASC where I have been a member since the age of 18.  I moved on from swimmer to Young Official and also as a Coach for a number of years before taking some time out to start a family.   Once the family started learning to swim I decided it was time to get back into officiating and I took my referees exam in 2009, moving onto the British Swimming Referee Development Programme in 2012 which then led to a 4 year term on the FINA list from 2019 to 2022.  During this time I was privileged to represent British Swimming at the European Short Course in 2019 in Glasgow, 2021 in Kazan Russia and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.  To be involved in these games and in my home city was such an honour and something I will remember for a long time.  In 2014 I was approached to become Officials Secretary of Staffordshire ASA which I agreed to do. Since then I have been President between 2019 and 2022.  My career is as an accountant working in practice through my training until 2008 when I made the decision to move into a business to make family life/childcare easier and I haven’t looked back.  It was due to my background in Finance and Swimming that I decided to apply to join the Region.

Contact

[email protected]

Mike Beard

Board Director

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I became a member of Stourbridge Swimming Club at the age of 7 in1949. I swam for the club and then started playing water polo for Stourbridge from 1958 until the team folded in 1973. I was also Treasurer for a while and am an honorary life member of Stourbridge SC

I moved to Solihull in 1966 and joined Solihull Swimming Club when my two sons started swimming with them. I became Head Coach of Solihull’s water polo section around 1980 and continued in that role for nearly 40 years. I also became a qualified swimming starter, judge and timekeeper. I became a Committee member and was Chair for 15 years before standing down to become Treasurer which is a position I still hold.

In May 1977 I was asked to become Treasurer to the ASA Midland District, a position I held until 2005 when the ASA restructured its Districts into Regions. I then became Finance Manager to the ASA West Midland Region and subsequently Finance Director to Swim England West Midland Region. I stood down from the role at this year’s AGM but remain on the Board. I am an honorary life member of the Region.

I was elected to be President of the ASA Midland District in its centenary year of 1989 and I was elected on to the ASA Committee in 1991, where I remained for the next 15 years. I was elected as President of the ASA in the millennium year of 2000 and in 2001 became the first ever Chair of the ASA, a position I held until 2006 when I stood down to enable me to give my full attention to the newly formed West Midland Region. I have been an ASA Trustee from 1984 to the present date.

Kate Caddick

Board Director

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My Passion for sport – during my teenage years, I swam competitively, ventured to open water and competed in the National Lifeguard competitions. This love of swimming has been passed to my twin boys, who both started their competitive journey in swimming at a young age.

Not wanting to be a spectator, what started as “helping out” evolved into several different roles to support the club my children swam for. It started as a poolside helper, team manager, as the need from the club became governance and organisational, I moved to committee-based roles, workforce, OMS administrator and Club Chair over a period of 10 years.  A highlight, organising, fundraising and attending the 2019 Spain Swim camp taking 20 swimmers.

In parallel I also began to volunteer as a club official, seeing another volunteer gap. This journey of officiating progressed through the Judge stages, resulting in joining the 2022 Referee training cohort. In January 2023, I qualified as British Swimming referee.

I support Staffordshire County as a committee member and working member of the Swimming sub committee.

Most recently, I was appointed to Swim England West Midlands region as a board member and to lead the Regional Leadership Group.

Mandy Garrott

Board Director & Event Chair

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I’ve been involved with swimming for about 25 years, starting as a parent helper at my home club of Newport & District in Shropshire. I’ve held most committee positions, including Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Teacher, Swim Mark Coordinator and Volunteer/Workforce Coordinator.

I am a Level 2 Swim Teacher and still teach, on occasion, when the club are short staffed.

In 2001 I qualified as a British swimming Judge, progressing to Referee in 2011. So can be found by a pool most weekends.

I started helping at County Level as club representative, then took over as County Secretary in 2015. From this point I created and manage Shropshire Website and Facebook page. I was Lead Team manager of the County Development Programme, then took over as Programme Lead for a couple of years.

I have delivered Young Volunteer courses for Shropshire and other parts of the West Midlands before Covid hit and they went online.

I had the honour of being Shropshire President, followed by being awarded the West Midlands President in 2019; this turned out to be an extended term of office due to Covid and handed over in 2022.

At the end of my term as President I joined the West Midlands Regional Board as a Director and now have the responsibility for events, including chairing the Regional Swimming Leadership Group. I look forward to the continuous development of the events and experiences we provide.

Contact

[email protected]

Jean Childs

Board Director & Event Vice-Chair

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I have been involved in swimming for 35 years, when my Daughter started swimming and joined Northgate, Bridgnorth SC at 8yrs old. I made the decision early on to not sit on a balcony all day watching, but to be proactive and give something to swimming. Therefore, I started training as a swimming official doing Timekeeper course, then Judge, Starter and finally Referee. I became a qualified Referee in 1999, and have to this day officiated at all levels of competition. After gaining my Referee’s qualification I started training and mentoring would be officials, and have lost count of how many people I have helped to become qualified at all levels. I still do this and am currently training a number of people to become Referees.

Jeff Morrey

Board Director

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I became interested in Aquatics at a reasonably young age when I was asked to join a local Club by the Swimming Teacher at the Pool where we were taken from Primary School by bus once a week for Learn to Swim Lessons.

The Club, in Stoke on Trent, was stronger in Water Polo and I was drawn to this discipline in my early teens. I was reasonably proficient at Swimming and Water Polo, representing Staffordshire in both disciplines.

The Chairman of my Club had been a former County President encouraged me to apply for membership of Staffordshire A.S.A Executive. I was fortunate to be successful in 1972 and have remained as a member since that time.

Following my introduction to Swimming Administration at this level I was fortunate to work with several colleagues who were members of the District Board and a former President of the A.S.A. who asked me to undertake the role of County Treasurer. I have fulfilled this role since 1982.

In the intervening years I have acted in several roles with the three principal Clubs that I have belonged to, Stoke on Trent, Stafford and Lichfield as Committee member, Water Polo Secretary and Swimming Official .I have also undertaken the role of County Water Polo Secretary for many years. I continued Swimming and Playing Water Polo into late middle age, even representing Staffordshire  Masters on a number of occasions.

I have been fortunate to be elected President of Staffordshire A.S.A. on two occasions and also been awarded the honour of Life Member. In 2016 I was elected President of Swim England West Midlands Region. Honours that I cherish and enjoyed beyond measure.

As the Staffordshire representative on the R.M.B I see my role as a committed and interested intermediary between the Region and my County. To listen, support, report and encourage. During my life-time involvement in our sport I have witnessed many changes. Change is inevitable and continues at a pace, but my support for all things productive positive and beneficial remains undiminished.

Elaine Gale

Board Director & Workforce Lead

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I have been a volunteer member of Swim England with club, county and now the Region since 2008. Over the 15-year period I have volunteered for a variety of roles such as Workforce, Welfare, Development, Secretary and Team Manager giving a good all-round perspective on club governance and development for our aquatic sports.

Since retiring early, I have become a full-time volunteer and am currently the Board Lead for Workforce and sits on Regions club development committee and various working groups. Alongside this, I am the County Welfare Officer for Warwickshire ASA and a member of Boldmere Swimming and Waterpolo Club.

Elaine puts volunteers right at the heart of the sport and believes for all members to be successful it needs to be fun and above all safe.

Vivienne Hewitt

Board Director

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I became a member of Wolverhampton swimming club, to learn how to swim, at the age of eleven. After a few months I representing the club, progressing to regional and national competitions until I retired at Seventeen.   Following my marriage, we moved to Herefordshire and I had 2 children. In 1979 I became involved with Ledbury & District Swimming club teaching and coaching. My children subsequently joined, both progressing to County, Regional and National standard.  My involvement with the club progressed carrying out most of the duties necessary in running a club. I became a Life Member in 2000.

In 1993 I was approached by the County Association to join both the swimming and official’s committees, positions I held until the formation of the County Management Board in 2005. My first stint as County Secretary was from 2003/2011.  My second (because no one stepped forward) started in 2016 up to and including the present day. I remained as a Board member during my 5-year break as Secretary, this position also means I remain, to date, on the Board. I am also involved in the County Development Programme and Championships.

Whilst working within the County Association I took the necessary Official qualifications finally becoming a Referee in 1999. I have officiated all over the Country including National Championships. I was also the Swimmers Drug Official during the 2008 Olympic trials.

In 2012, I became the Regional County Representative for Worcester County a position I still hold. 

I also became Worcester County President in 2006 and again in 2020/21(extended) due to Covid restrictions.

In 2014/15 I had the honoured of becoming Regional President a position I enjoyed immensely.

Bernard Simkins

Board Director & Governance specialist

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Both my daughters swam for Stourbridge Swimming Club. The first in 1994 I joined the club committee in 1996 and was a member until 2012 having been Chair for five years, Hon Secretary twice, Open Meet Secretary; having organised 28 successful Open meets, and awarded honorary Life membership when I stepped down.

I was the club delegate to Worcester County and a member of the County Officials Committee after becoming a Referee and I have refereed up to Regional Championships.

I was approached by the Regional Director to join the Regional Board in 2007 as the Worcester County representative and so became a Worcester County management board member, posts I held for five years.

In 2012 I became the West Midland appointee on the National ASA Board and then a member of the ASA Sports Board and the ASA Group Board and sat on the National Swimming Management Committee.

I became president of Worcester County for 2013 and 2014 and WM Regional President in 2016.

Nationally I am now one of the four members nominated directors on the current SE Board and a Director of Swim England trading and member of the SE Audit Risk and Probity Committee.

Chad Ehlertsen

Board Director & Sport Specialist

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I have always loved swimming and the water and I currently swim with some masters swimmers.

I learnt about Swim England West Midlands Region and the Management Board through being a parent involved with my girls home club Redditch SC.

I joined the Regional Management Board in November 2021 and act as a Sports Consultant. I am interested in how we use data, insight and marketing to drive investment into the sport to make a difference.

Charlotte Osborne

Board Director & Coaching Specialist

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In my day job, I work as Training and Education Manager in Equestrian Sport, with a specific remit for the development of coaches, officials, talent pathways, sport development including youth and para as well as leading on national education events.

I have a background as a coach and competitor as well as working in further and higher education settings. I am interested in sport as a whole and the benefits it can bring to local communities, individuals health and wellbeing as well as providing wider opportunities for volunteering and employment.

While I have never been a competitive swimmer, swimming is an essential life skill and I feel very passionately about ensuring that as many people as possible are provided with the opportunity to try and develop their swimming skills, regardless of their individual motivations for doing so, whether that is just to be safe in the water or aspirations of swimming on teams. It is essential we have a skilled network of teachers and coaches to ensure that people receive great training to help them achieve these goals regardless of what they maybe, but more importantly they develop a lifelong love of swimming. 

Together with the individual Leadership Groups, the Region delivers a range of competitions and development initiatives locally for all the disciplines which are part of the swimming family:

The Regional Board plays an instrumental part in championing swimming and all its disciplines within the region.

Operational delivery

The Regional Management Board takes a leadership role in overseeing the strategic direction and empowering a Regional Operational Manager to lead the aquatic activities and staff team within the region. The Board act as a key liaison between the various committees and working group, clubs and Swim England ensuring alignment with national strategies while addressing the unique needs of our region.

Projects

The Regional Management Board frequently undertake projects and insight work, with 2 of the most recent outlined below.

Strategy 2024-27

  • Guiding Principles for the Region.
  • Alignment with Swim England.
  • Our Vision, Mission, and Strategic Objectives.

Club Culture Report

  • Research into current cultures.
  • Findings and themes.
  • Future recommendations.

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