One of Britain’s greatest swimmers, Olympic medallist, Steve Parry, has been confirmed as active-net 2018’s after dinner speaker.

Launched in 2014, active-net brings together leading operators and suppliers from the active leisure sector for business-focused, pre-selected meetings, together with informative educational slots, networking lunches and an evening meal.

active-net 2018 will take place at Eastwood Hall in Nottingham between 14 and 15 March 2018.

Parry, who retired from professional swimming after winning Bronze at the Athens’ Olympics in 2004, will talk to delegates about lessons learned from being an elite athlete, as well as his personal battle with cancer and his business successes.

Following his retirement, Parry created Total Swimming, the UK’s first temporary pool programme, which specialises in the delivery of swimming at grassroots level.

Parry says: “I was astounded when I found out just how many children leave primary school unable to swim and so I set up this mobile swimming company, taking temporary pools to schools around. It was very much a CSR programme rather than a profitable business, but it got me really excited about being part of the journey of getting kids to swim.”

Total Swimming now has academies all over the country teaching 16,000 children to swim every week on its programme.

For the past 10 years, Parry has worked as a presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sport, covering major swimming, diving and cycling events, as well as working the motivational speaking circuit, talking to big corporates, as well as the sport and leisure sector.

Most recently Parry has become Chair of outdoor swimming and water safety programme Swim Safe. Run jointly by Swim England and the RNLI, it teaches young people how to have fun and stay safe when swimming outdoors.

“I had a near-drowning experience as a youngster so I feel particularly honoured to be working with the RNLI, which has saved over 142,000 lives since it started nearly 200 years ago,” says Parry.

However, Parry’s greatest challenge came when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, just four weeks after his wedding. He has now been cancer free for several years.

As an inspirational, motivational and entertaining speaker, Parry will talk about overcoming adversity, implementing a vision, how to turn failure into success and embracing change. He talks openly about his experiences of fighting cancer, building a business and the attributes athletes need to be world class.

Dave Monkhouse, director of leading customer insight provider for the active leisure sector, Leisure-net, which manages active-net, says: “Steve’s message is all about the impact a positive mindset can have, as well as the need for teamwork whilst taking individual responsibility to ensure you get the desired outcome. His energy and passion, along with the messages he shares, will no doubt leave active-net delegates with much to take away.”

For further information or to book your place at active-net 2018 contact Kirsty Reed at Leisure-net by emailing

[email protected] or visiting active-net.org