Former Leicester Tigers and England international rugby player Leon Lloyd will address active-net 2017 delegates speaking on the challenges he faced when entering the ‘real world’ after injury ended his career.

Lloyd, whose rugby career was curtailed in 2008 due to a knee injury, is a director at Switch The Play, a social enterprise that helps sporting organisations and individuals fulfil their potential during and after sport.

After playing rugby, Lloyd identified his transferable skills and experiences. As well as a businessman, he is also a public speaker, author of ‘Life After Sport’ and ambassador for both The Prince’s Trust and the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, which works to alleviate child poverty in Vietnam and Mongolia.

He said: “Retirement came unexpectedly for me and tore apart the world I knew. I wanted to share these experiences to make clear the issues such a huge shift in a player’s life can have on their mental health and wellbeing.

“When I met the guys at Switch The Play I realised what they were doing was far more wider-reaching than what I was doing by myself. Their unparalleled knowledge and industry experience into the dynamics around rejection and transition in sport means they can inform and shape policy, help organisations implement policy in the best way possible and work directly with athletes, players, students and support staff to deliver positive life-shaping outcomes.”

Launched in 2014 and managed by Leisure-net Solutions, a customer insight provider for the active leisure sector, active-net brings together operators and suppliers for business-focused, pre-selected meetings, together with educational slots and networking.

The 2017 conference will be themed around workforce development and includes a panel discussion with the strategic lead for people at Sport England, Stephanie Maurel, CIMSPA chief executive, Tara Dillion, and managing director of AoC Sport, Marcus Kingwell.

Dave Monkhouse, director of Leisure-net Solutions and organiser of the event said: “Leon’s story is one that many young people at school and colleges dream of – the professional and the international element. Many will not achieve their dreams and as a sector we have a vital role to play in providing these passionate and talented individuals with the chance to still be part of a sport they love and give something back to their communities.

“Workforce development is a vital part of the continuous development of our sector. We are entering times of great opportunity and ensuring the workforce can deliver to our potential customers needs is a must.”

The two-day event takes place on 29-30 March at Eastwood Hall in Nottingham.