Andy Reed, former Labour MP for Loughborough, has been appointed to succeed Brigid Simmonds as the chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA).

Simmonds will step from the organisation at its July annual general meeting, after serving as chair for the maximum term – three two-year spells. Reed - currently a director of his own advocacy company - chairs the Volleyball England Foundation and the voice of sports volunteers and is a board member of Special Olympics GB and the Amateur Swimming Association.

"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," said Reed. "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."