Building safer clubs: Supporting club welfare across the nation
The Sport Welfare Officer Network (SWO network) has been created to support National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and their local clubs to promote good practice and safer sport for all. The network is funded by Sport England through National Lottery funding.
The SWOs are working with key partners to develop a local approach to assisting and supporting club welfare officers, to create safer club environments and improved experiences for children, young people and adults.
Sport Welfare Officer Network – Active Partnerships
Marianne Appleton
Marianne brings over 25 years’ experience in learning & development across the Education & Playwork sectors. In recent years, her focus has shifted toward safeguarding, wellbeing training & staff development within further education.
With a passion for impactful training, Marianne is committed to equipping individuals with the knowledge & confidence to create safe, inclusive environments where young people can really thrive – with plenty of focus on fun, positive experiences along the way. She’s worked with under-18s in schools, the holiday industry, the Playwork sector and as an enthusiastic volunteer.
Wayne Hickey
Wayne has been the Sport Welfare Lead at Active Essex for two years and works to support clubs, coaches and organisations across Essex to create safe, welcoming and inclusive environments for everyone involved in sport and physical activity.
Safeguarding is at the heart of Wayne’s work. He brings over 30 years of experience from his career as a police officer, much of it spent as a detective investigating serious child abuse and sexual offences, alongside previous safeguarding work with The Football Association supporting Club Welfare Officers. This experience helps Wayne provide clear, practical guidance that supports positive safeguarding practice on the ground.
In his role at Active Essex, Wayne works closely with club welfare officers, designated safeguarding leads, coaches and volunteers, offering advice, guidance and training. He particularly enjoys meeting people working at a grassroots level and is continually inspired by the passion, care and commitment they show towards their clubs and communities. Wayne also values delivering safeguarding training and presentations in person, as this encourages open discussion, meaningful learning and shared understanding.
Wayne is committed to supporting organisations across Essex to build safer, stronger environments where everyone can enjoy being active with confidence.
