Philip Collins has dedicated his life to swimming - and it's not gone unnoticed.

He was recognised in the Queen's Honours List with an MBE last month, and when you hear him talk, you can almost *feel* the passion Philip has for the sport.

This is a great conversation with someone who is a bit of a grassroots hero when it comes to sport, which ends up becoming as much about social history as it is about swimming.

From Philip’s time in the Royal Navy when it was illegal for gay men to serve to his work supporting gay men in London during the AIDs/ HIV epidemic; his love of Out To Swim, the Gay Games and encouraging inclusivity in sport; getting in the water in lockdown and finding out about the MBE – yes, there’s an awful lot of fascinating stuff in this chat, and we’re grateful that Philip took the time to join us.

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@OutToSwim

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@jack_murley
jack.murley@bbc.co.uk