A Birmingham 2022 legacy: The community of volunteers making our sport special

Our sport is special thanks to the volunteers, without whom events, such as our U20, Senior and Para Championships last weekend, could not happen. These championships were supported by volunteers from Birmingham United by 2022 Volunteer Collective.

Many of the volunteers caught the bug following opportunities at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and others have got involved more recently, but they are all equally important in helping events to run smoothly and improving athlete experience.

We caught up with five volunteers at the weekend on their experiences of volunteering at the Commonwealth Games, what they love about volunteering and how they get involved now.

It’s all about the people

Volunteering and being part of something bigger creates a sense of community. The people within this community are what makes it so special and for many volunteers this is what keeps them coming back to volunteer again. In Birmingham and the West Midlands, the community of volunteers is part of the Commonwealth Games legacy.

“My favourite thing about volunteering at the Commonwealth Games was the atmosphere and being part of a big team. People were just so friendly and you felt part of it. It was fabulous!”

Beverley, athlete registration

“My favourite thing about volunteering has got to be the meeting people and making a difference to the things that I’m involved with. We’ve become quite a good community from the Commonwealths and the new people coming in. It’s really made quite a big friendship group.”

Kathy, volunteer coordinator

Being a volunteer also provides an opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and collaborate with them. These experiences reach beyond our sport and impact the wider community.

“Just experiencing different cultures, different people from different backgrounds and meeting new people as well was a great experience for me.”

Frank, results inputter

Looking at the bigger picture

Having volunteered at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and seeing how everything came together for the event, Gurjit returned to the stadium this weekend as a results inputter at the England Athletics Championships.

“When we came to the stadium about a month before the Commonwealth Games started we got to see the bigger picture of how many other people were doing different roles. I was part of the opening ceremony and it all came together really well and on the day it was even more phenomenal. That was a rewarding thing.”

Gurjit Bains, results inputter

Broadening horizons

Lemmy has started volunteering since the Commonwealth Games and these championships were his fourth event this year. Coming from a different sporting background, volunteering in athletics has helped him to understand the sport and the different opportunities within it.

“I’m just used to football, so I am trying to widen out to other disciplines. It has opened my mind to a lot of different things that people can do to keep them active.”

Lemmy, results inputter

Dreaming big as a volunteer

For an athlete, the dream is to compete in the major events like the Commonwealth Games or the Olympics. But what events are on the bucket list for these volunteers?

“Maybe a World Championship, or Olympic Games, or something like that because I’ve had experience with so many events since 2022, so I’m just waiting for that.”

Frank, results inputter

“It’s the major events that I would like to get involved with, the big World Championships, or Olympics. I missed out on the Olympics in 2012, so going to another Olympics and being part of that movement because I’ve heard so much from so many other volunteers.”

Kathy, volunteer coordinator

Have you been inspired to give volunteering a go?

Contact your local athletics club for ways to get involved near you.