Chair
Babs Ingram
Babs became involved in swimming when her children learnt to swim around 2008, then was Secretary of her local club before moving to Derventio Excel. She became Chair in 2021, then took over as Chair of Derby Excel after the merger of Derventio Excel and City of Derby in April 2023.
Babs is a past President of Derbyshire Swimming.
Babs is a qualified Referee and can often be seen poolside at meets.
Her son Jamie still swims, training with City of Manchester Aquatics. Jamie swam for England at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, winning a silver medal.
Secretary
Pippa Hibbs
Pippa joined the City of Derby Swimming Club in 2010 when her children started their competitive swimming journey. Pippa held the position of membership secretary for five years, steering a period of club growth and success. Later Pippa joined the executive committee and became the club treasurer.
In 2018 Pippa joined the committee of Derventio Excel and took on the role of club treasurer. When the two clubs merged in 2023 to form Derby Excel, Pippa was delighted to accept the role of club secretary and trustee.
You will often see Pippa poolside at swimming meets, supporting the club in her role as a licensed referee.
Treasurer
Nisha Bains
Nisha joined City of Derby Swimming club at the end of 2018 where her twin daughters showed an affinity with swimming and they wanted to explore where their swimming could take them competitively. Nisha joined the committee as Treasurer of City of Derby in March 2022 and wanted to bring some diversity to swim and represent the different demographics of Derby.
When the 2 clubs merged Nisha carried on with the role of Treasurer and is a trustee. Nisha can be seen at the pool regularly while only 1 of her daughters now swims and at most gala meets at the entrance table selling raffle tickets!
Trustee
Clive Mitchell
Clive joined Derby Excel in 2024 and swims with the Masters squad. He was elected as a Derby Excel trustee in 2025. He's also a licensed swimming official. Clive has a background in charity operations and governance, and was previously Director of Operations for a UK-wide charity. He's now retired from 9-5, but still does freelance work.
Club Membership - please contact John for any general membership enquiries:
John Sheil
Performance Co-ordinator - for any Performance swimming or membership enquiries:
Wendy Flint
Paraswimming Officer
Paul Hopkinson
Paul has held many positions in the swimming world, starting out as a swimmer with Rykneld Swimming Club reaching Midland standard. Paul was also the East Midlands champion (15 / 16yrs) for 2 years running in the original Modern Triathlon (Running, Swimming and Air Pistol Shooting), qualifying and finishing 6th overall in the National Triathlon Championships.
After a work and parental break from the sport, he re-joined and became club chairman where his 2 children were swimmers.
Paul has been around the poolside for many years taking on a number of roles that include technical official (Referee) and a Team Manager (Local, Regional, National and Para).
Paul moved on to join Derventio eXcel as a committee member, taking on the role of Team Manager presenter / trainer, mentor and one of the counties 'technical officials' trainers.
With Derby Excel, Paul continues to help train new officials, Team Managers and brings into the club links to the Para Community which we hope to promote over the years to come.
Paul is Derbyshire ASA's President, and will be a member of DASA for 3 years, from June 2024.
Masters Co-ordinator
Yury Bocharnikov
Open Meet Promoter
Rachel Male
Webmaster
Phil Coe
Officials Co-ordinator and Club President
Ralph Shepherd
Ralph has been a member of City of Derby SC since it formed in 1983. He has been an official all that time, and is the Derbyshire ASA's officials coordinator as well as performing this role for Derby Excel. Ralph helps organise and train officials all over the county.
He was President of DASA 2009-10, and was East Midlands President 2014-15 representing all five counties in the region. He is currently DASA President-Elect
Ralph is our vice President as well as being a committee member. He is Chair of the W Midlands Arena League and the current chair of the Derby and Notts Junior League.
Away from swimming Ralph has been involved with the Scout Association since 1963, age 12! Even now he can be found manning checkpoints in the Peak District in all weathers, when over a hundred scout teams take part in a walking competition over the wild moorlands of Derbyshire.
For the past 25 years, he has helped with the Scout Stamp and deliver Christmas cards, collecting boxes at shops, delivering them to offices and posting to houses, with all proceeds going to charity. Every year he drives minibuses for younger scouts to activities held at Carsingon Reservoir.
Volunteer Workforce Co-ordinator
Monica Monticelli
Monica joined City of Derby Swimming Club in 2018, when her daughter wanted to bring her swimming to a competitive level and so started swimming in the Junior Development squad. Later also her son joined City of Derby SC.
In 2022, Monica become Team Manager and started to help the teams during competitions, by looking after them and making sure that swimmers know when it is their turn to race. She found that volunteering during galas was much more interesting than just sitting all day waiting for her children to race.
In September 2022, Monica took the role of Volunteer Coordinator and she carried on in this role also after the merge into Derby Excel.
In this role, Monica makes sure that we have enough Team Managers at competitions and that we have an updated risk assessment for each gala.
She also coordinates Squad Reps and makes sure that all the volunteers have the right certificates and qualifications, where required, like DBS and Safeguarding certificates.
Therefore, if you are thinking of volunteering for the club, Monica is the right person to contact. Any help, big or small. is always much appreciated, as the more the merrier!
Open Meet Entry Manager - please use this email for all Derby Excel meet entries/queries:
Kirsty Billinge
Kirsty became involved in Competitive Swimming when her son joined Lichfield Swimming Club in 2009 aged 7, and often chaperoned swimmers on poolside and also took on the role of Entries coordinator.
Kirsty moved to City of Derby in 2014, when her son moved clubs. She became a squad rep, then qualified as a Team Manager 1 and Team Manager 2, spending much time at competitions supporting the coaches and swimmers. She has organised and attended swimcamps to Majorca (2015), Fuerteventura (2016), Greece (2017) and Organised Swimcamps to Fuerteventura (2018) and Spain (2018).
She also took on the roles of Entries Coordinator and Gala Team
Since the merger in April 2023, Kirsty is usually found in the background either processing entries or in the AOE at meets collating results and sending them to rankings.
Welfare Officer
Sarah Horton [email protected]
Sarah started swimming at a young age and progressed through her stages, joining Derby Phoenix when she was 9 years old. She swam competively representing the club and her county at competitions, ultimately joining City of Derby at the age of 14 where she stayed until "retiring" at 16!
Past President
Joyce Mellor
Joyce joined Derby Swimming Club in 1970 (this became City Of Derby from 1983) when her children swam on a regular basis and she was asked if ’she could just help to…..’ She held various committee positions, Team Manager, Treasurer, Welfare Officer, Chairman and was made President in 2012.
In the 70’s she was elected to Derbyshire ASA committee mostly working on the Competition and Fixtures committee for several years. Joyce was elected President of Derbyshire ASA in 1985 – 1986. Joyce was asked to remain as President of the new club when City of Derby and Derventio Excel amalgamated in 2023.
As well as playing an active role in swimming Joyce has spent many years enjoying walking trips and caravan holidays throughout the UK. She has also been involved in Guiding since the early 1970’s.
