Secretary of State Appointments to the Organising Committee for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has appointed Ellie Simmonds, Lyndsey Jackson and Nick Timothy as Non-Executive Directors to the Birmingham Organising Committee for the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Ellie Simmonds
Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Simmonds OBE is a Five-time Paralympic Champion and fourteen-time World Champion. Ellie shot to fame when she won her first Paralympic medal at the age of 13 years and nine months at the Beijing Paralympic Games. This was the start of a string of firsts for Ellie as she went on to become the youngest winner of the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2008 and then the youngest recipient of an MBE at the age of 14. Since her meteoric rise into the public eye, Ellie has continued to dominate her sport, winning 14 World titles, 10 European titles and breaking numerous World records along the way.
After her S6 100m and 400m gold medals at Beijing ’08, Ellie went even better at the London 2012 Paralympics, winning four medals, including two Golds, and broke a further two World records. Her Gold medals were won in the S6 400m Freestyle and SM6 200m Individual Medley and she won Silver in the S6 100m Freestyle and Bronze in the S6 50m Freestyle. In the lead up to London 2012 Ellie had become the poster girl for the Paralympic games and her success helped make her the most recognised Paralympic athlete in Great Britain, if not the world. At her most recent Games, Ellie returned from Rio 2016 with yet another Gold medal and a new world record for the SM6 200m Individual Medley, becoming the first S6 ever to swim a sub three minute time, as well as a Bronze in the S6 100m Freestyle.
Ellie’s disability is classified as Achondroplasia dwarfism. She started swimming at the age of five and started competing against able-bodied children at the age of eight. At ten years old, Ellie’s talent was spotted at a disability event and she was entered onto the British Swimming talent programme. She worked her way through to be selected as the youngest member of a senior British Swimming squad for the 2006 IPC World Championships at the age of 12 years and three weeks.
Ellie has captured both the hearts and minds of the British public, initially balancing her stardom with her school work and training. Since leaving full-time education, Ellie’s work outside of the pool with charities such as Dwarf Sports Association, WaterAid and I AM WATER, in addition to her frequent work in the media, has truly cemented her status as Britain’s golden girl.
Lyndsey Jackson
Lyndsey Jackson is a senior arts administrator and live event producer, and the Deputy Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world, and the greatest platform for artists and creatives to develop and showcase their talents on an international stage.
Lyndsey supports the Fringe Society deliver the Society’s vision, aims and objectives through motivational leadership and clear strategic direction, leading on business continuity, governance and strategic planning, digital innovation, ticketing and commercialisation, and the development of education outreach programmes that support the place of the festival in its host city.
Lyndsey has a background in producing new writing and site-specific theatre and working with young people to develop their creative potential through drama and film.
Nick Timothy
Nick Timothy is a columnist for the Daily Telegraph and the Sun. He is a Visiting Fellow at Wadham College, Oxford, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London. Previously he was Theresa May’s joint chief of staff in Downing Street and her special adviser in the Home Office.
He is also a former Director of the New Schools Network, a charity that helps people to set up free schools, and a former Deputy Director of the Conservative Research Department. Nick was born and brought up in Birmingham.
The roles are not remunerated. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Ellie Simmonds and Lyndsey Jackson have made no such declarations. Nick Timothy has declared that he was a special adviser in the Home Office and Downing Street, worked for the Conservatives during the 2015 and 2017 general elections and canvassed for the Conservative Party.