Christians in Sport has announced the appointment of former MP Andy Reed to manage their vision for an Olympic legacy.

Having served as Labour and Co-operative MP for Loughborough from 1987-2010, Andy was awarded an OBE in June 2012 for his services to the community and sport in Leicestershire. In his new role with Christians in Sport, Andy will facilitate partnerships with church denominations and para-church organisations to provide sports' mission resources to churches that are keen to continue their engagement with sport. This demand has increased since the London Games in 2012, when the nation watched the likes of Jessica Ennis, Bradley Wiggins and Ellie Simmonds achieving gold medals in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Sport England reported in December 2012 that the number of adults playing sport had increased by 750,000 in the year of the London Games.

Alongside his role on the Evangelical Alliance Council, Andy chairs the Sport and Recreation Alliance, which is the umbrella organisation for the governing and representative bodies of sport and recreation in the UK, such as the Football Association, the Rugby Football Union and UK Athletics.

Commenting on his latest appointment, Andy said: "We are still in the afterglow of the 2012 Games and the legacy we want to drive from their success. I hope to use my passion for sport and the Church to bring the two closer together. I want both to understand each other and to grow our partnerships."

The vision of Christians in Sport is "to see a Christian in every one of the 150,000 clubs and teams in the UK", and to support Christians who are already actively engaged in sport.

Graham Daniels, the charity's general director, commented: "We are delighted to welcome Andy on board to help us navigate this exciting time for sports mission in the UK. The 2012 Games have undoubtedly changed the Church's appreciation of the role of sport in our society and the importance of Christians engaging with the sports culture. Andy's wealth of experience and passion for both sport and the local church makes him ideal for this role as Christians in Sport looks to serve the Church and the world of sport in the UK."