The Annual Report and accounts 2020 2 British Swimming Annual Report and Accounts 2020 British Swimming Annual Report | Company Information 3 Company Contents Information ForFOR THEthe YEAR year ENDED ended 31 31MARCH March 2020 2018 03 company Information CHAIRMAN REGISTERED OFFICE 04 Chairman’s Report Edward Maurice Watkins CBE British Swimming Pavilion 3 05 CEO’S report DIRECTORS SportPark 06 Monthly Highlights 3 Oakwood Drive Keith David Ashton Loughborough 08 Excellence - Swimming LE11 3QF Jack Richard Buckner 10 Excellence - Diving David Robert Carry Bankers 12 Excellence - para-Swimming Corinne Lisa Cunningham Lloyds Bank 14 NON FUNDED SPORTS UPDATE 37/38 High Street 15 Corporate UPDATE Graham Ian Edmunds Loughborough Leicestershire 16 International relations Jane Mary Nickerson LE11 2QG 18 governance Statement Fergus Gerard Feeney Coutts & Co. 20 Major events Alexandra Joanne Kelham 440 Strand London 22 Marketing and communications Peter Jeremy Littlewood WC2R 0QS 23 finances Graeme Robertson Marchbank AUDITOR 28 Acknowledgements Adele Stach-Kevitz Mazars LLP ParkView House COMPANY SECRETARY 58 The Ropewalk Nottingham Ashley Cox NG15DW COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER 4092510 Front Cover Images: Cameron Gammage, men’s 3m springboard, British Diving Champs 2020, Plymouth. Photo by Georgie Kerr British Swimming Championships 2019 in Glasgow, Scotland. Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images British Para-Swimming International Meet 2019 – Eleanor Simmonds. Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images 4 British Swimming Annual Report and Accounts 2020 British Swimming Annual Report | CEO's Report 5 Chairman’s CEO's Report Report edward MAURICE WATKINS CBE Cricket Club, a COVID Secure venue, which had successfully hosted Jack Richard Buckner I had hoped to be heralding another noteworthy year for British a number of international cricket matches over the summer This was going to be the report that covered the 2020 Tokyo everyone has the chance to “win well” in a challenging and Swimming with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics but it months. The opportunity to meet face to face was extremely Olympic and Paralympic games. Sadly, as we all know, we supportive environment that enables “everyone involved” to was not to be. CEO Jack Buckner, in his report, refers to a year productive and well received after such an extended period of not have suffered a year like no other in my lifetime. Coronavirus get the best out of themselves. Also, for me, elite sport at its like no other in his lifetime and I echo everything he said. We look seeing colleagues face to face. Any board member who could not has transformed temporarily at least, perhaps in some areas best can be a beacon within society. But to do this we have to forward to the delayed Tokyo 2020 which hopefully will take place attend in person linked up via Zoom. permanently, our world. Instead of celebrating the Olympic be an open and diverse sport that works harder on inclusion. in 2021 although there is some uncertainty as to how it will be 2020 has seen us welcome a couple of extra partners in and Paralympic games we have all fought hard to keep society #Blacklivesmatter is one powerful force for positive change that formatted. Healthspan and Lebara. We have also made good progress in the operating during an unprecedented pandemic. we must embrace. We understand winning. We need also to area of Governance following the outcome of the BDO Governance Nevertheless looking at the year as a whole it started very I’d like to start by thanking everyone involved with British understand the integrity opportunity that exists in “well”. audit. We have rightly commended ourselves for the manner in promisingly with the LEN European Short Course Championships Swimming for their support during this last year. My “everyone This report covers the year from November 2019 to November which we led the way in the return to training for elite sport and in Glasgow where GB athletes picked up 11 medals. 2020 involved” covers not just the athletes, coaches, performance 2020. At the very start of the year we did stage the LEN European our guidance document proved the leading work on the subject. continued in the same vein with excellent performances at various and support staff but also the volunteers, families, supporters, Short course in Glasgow. A huge thanks to all our partners in this events gaining momentum for the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics International influence is a key subject for British Swimming the board and our partners, particularly the home nations. I am exciting event where Freya Anderson in particular took another and Paralympics. The range of activity in the early period is well and our sub-group has been meeting very regularly sharing endlessly grateful to work in elite sport because of the incredible step forward in her development. I would like in particular to worth recounting. Flanders meet in January, McCullagh meet information in this most important of areas. It is so essential professionalism of “everyone involved”. So many thanks to all of thank Glasgow City Council, Event Scotland and UK Sport, all of in Northern Ireland, FINA Marathon Swim World Series Doha in that our administrators and athletes are fully briefed in all you. This wasn’t the year we expected but you have reacted with whom remain staunch and consistent supporters of aquatics. We February 2020 and LEN Open Water Cup Eilat in March 2020. There relevant aspects and are able to play an influencing role when diligence, dedication and determination. We shall move forward, also delivered the diving National Championships in Plymouth, were also FINA Diving World Series in Rostock and Montreal. circumstances demand and allow it. continue to progress as an organisation and support aquatics and another fine city and supporter of the sport. I would like to thank Then unfortunately the season was cut short and subsequently As always I am very grateful to our independent and stakeholder our athletes to the best of our ability. all our facility partners including Sheffield, Leeds, London Aquatics all events were cancelled or postponed due to the worldwide directors for all their hard work and expertise and to our dedicated For me the pandemic falls into three phases over the last year Centre, Bath, Stirling and Loughborough. Many thanks for your pandemic. staff, volunteers and partners who continue to play their part in – stop, back in the water and now pencil planning for the future. continued support. Finally, I would like to wish you all the best for the year ahead. How has the Board been conducting its meetings in this unique sustaining our mantra of “One Team. Winning Well. In Water”. The Stop was during the first lockdown when everyone was at period of time? Well, the meetings in April and June took place circumstances we have found ourselves in with the pandemic home and out of the water. During this phase British Swimming via Zoom but we were fortunate enough to be able to meet face make these thanks even more deserving. colleagues and our athletes displayed immediate discipline and to face for our September meeting at the Emirates Old Trafford outstanding creativity in adapting to the lockdown. Athletes kept fit, coaches operated remotely and motivation remained as high as ever. Jack Richard Buckner The second phase was planning and executing back in the water. CEO, British Swimming Edward Maurice Watkins CBE The guidance by the Swimming team was over 120 pages long. Chairman, British Swimming It quickly became a template across the elite sport sector. It wouldn’t be the accolade any of us wants but we did lead the way in the return to training in elite sport. Finally we are now pencil planning for the future. Pencil planning means we develop a plan, rub it out and develop another plan. We shall keep moving forward positively. We know this future is uncertain but we shall adapt and thrive. Good luck to “everyone involved”. As I write every interaction I have with the BOA, Japan and international federations concludes that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will take place in 2021. The games will be very different and we shall have to be agile to adapt to changed circumstances. I am confident we can do this. Beyond the pandemic this has been the year when inequality and integrity has also justifiably focused our minds. At British Swimming we aim to “win well”. For me “winning well” means 6 British Swimming Annual Report and Accounts 2020 British Swimming Annual Report | Monthly Highlights 7 Monthly Highlights Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and James Heatly Ellie Simmonds October 2019 December 2019 March 2020 May 2020 • A total of 60 athletes were selected to form part of the British • British athletes won 11 medals at the 20th Edition of the • The absence of major domestic events was marked by some • British Swimming’s weekly Fitness Friday feature was kicked Para-Swimming World Class Programme (WCP) for the European Short Course Championships in Glasgow. creative, light-hearted videos to offer some humour in difficult off, bringing home workout content to fans and athletes alike. 2019/2020 season. • Mel Marshall and Danielle Brayson were among the winners times. This included the Stay at Home Diving Series and the • British Swimming’s Para Swimming star Ellie Simmonds • Alice Tai was voted September’s Allianz Athlete of the Month at the annual UK Coaching Awards, the pair rewarded for their Bath Dash Championships. provided some great advice on Mental Health Awareness following her sensational performance at the London 2019 success in 2019. Later in the month Mel Marshall added a April 2020 week. World Para Swimming Allianz Championships. further accolade to a standout year in which she was named • A number of aquatics heroes took on the June 2020 British Swimming Coach of the year and UK Coaching’s High #twopointsixchallenge to help support UK charities.