Andrew Bowly Appointed to CIMSPA Policy Approval Panel
April 27, 2026
Andrew Bowly, Head of Safeguarding, Inclusion and Wellbeing at British Judo, has been appointed to the newly established Policy Approval Panel at the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
The appointment sees Bowly join a diverse group of experts from across the sport and physical activity sector, tasked with strengthening governance and ensuring robust processes underpin workforce-related policies across the UK.
CIMSPA’s UK Workforce Policy Approval Panel has been formed to support the approval of workforce-related policies by the UK Workforce Professional Development Board (WPDB). Its central role is to review and confirm that appropriate and proportionate processes have been followed in the development and revision of policies before they are formally approved.
The panel will oversee key areas such as:
- Development and review of professional standards
- Standards for deployment
- Apprenticeship standards in England via Skills England
- Wider policy and guidance requiring WPDB approval
Bowly joins a panel featuring representatives from education providers, awarding bodies, universities, and industry organisations, including Judith Allen (Educationwise), Alison Bagshaw (YMCA Awards), and Kit Cutter (Oxford Brookes University), among others.
Colin Huffen, Associate Director for Regulation and Standards at CIMSPA, highlighted the strong interest in the panel:
“When we put out an advert for people to be members of the panel, we didn’t really know how it would go with us having never done this before. We were overwhelmed by the number and calibre of people wanting to join the panel. We had over 60 people express their interest. It was a challenging process to try to capture as broad a range of experience and expertise as possible. We couldn’t be happier with the people that have volunteered their time to help us here, we’re very grateful for their support.”
Speaking on the appointment, Bowly emphasised the importance of strong governance and collaboration across the sector:
“I’m pleased to be joining CIMSPA’s Policy Approval Panel at such an important time for the sport and physical activity workforce. Ensuring that policies are developed and reviewed with the right level of scrutiny and expertise is essential to maintaining high standards across the sector. I look forward to contributing alongside such a knowledgeable group of professionals.”
