Supporting the King’s Baton Relay: coming together to make a difference

Swim England was proud to support the King’s Baton Relay as part of Team England’s journey to Glasgow 2026, joining athletes and communities for a beach clean at West Kirby Beach in Merseyside with Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds.

The day brought people together with a shared goal: to take positive action for the nation’s waterways and celebrate the role sport can play in creating lasting change.

It was a brilliant example of how the aquatics community continues to step up, work together and make a real difference.

The King’s Baton Relay is a long‑standing tradition that celebrates and connects communities across the Commonwealth in the lead up to the Games.

From 26 May, Team England’s relay travels across the country over six days, forming part of the wider 500‑day journey through the Commonwealth on the road to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign

This year’s relay also shines a light on the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign, delivered in partnership with the Royal Commonwealth Society.

The campaign brings athletes and communities together with an ambitious aim: to prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth oceans and waterways before Glasgow 2026.

Through events like the beach clean, the campaign is creating a global movement of action and awareness. It is about celebrating what can be achieved when people come together and inspiring long term change in how we think about plastic and its impact.

The national governing body was delighted to be part of the West Kirby beach clean, hosted by Ellie Simmonds, and to be highlighting the power of sport to inspire positive action.

“Sport brings the power of change, and it brings everyone together to highlight lots of different things,” said Simmonds.

“We’re all impacted by water in so many different ways. Sometimes we forget that and as athletes we have voices to inspire people.

“Using Commonwealth Games and sporting events can be life-changing because if kids or individuals see athletes doing certain things, they think ‘why don’t we too’?

“I love swimming but also over 72 per cent of the world is water. We see the plastic every single day but we forget about the stuff underneath, there’s so much life in there that needs protecting.

“We live on an island and we’re surrounded by water. I’m surrounded by canals in Birmingham, the Thames in London, and we need to look after it.”

Volunteers, athletes and Surfers Against Sewage joined forces to remove plastic and waste from the shoreline, highlighting how small actions can create a meaningful impact.

This was a great chance to connect with others who care about the nation’s aquatic environments and to celebrate the role everyone plays in protecting them. Swim England is committed to helping people enjoy great experiences in water – and looking after our waterways is a vital part of that.

By supporting the King’s Baton Relay and the Clean Oceans campaign, Swim England is proud to stand with Team England and the wider Commonwealth in championing healthier waters for everyone.