National Volunteers’ Week 2026: Westbury Harriers

This week marks National Volunteers’ Week 2026, a chance to celebrate the incredible people who make our sport possible across the country. At Westbury Harriers, volunteering is at the core of everything the club delivers, and the reward goes far beyond simply helping on the day. We spoke to Alastair Blackwood, Volunteer Coordinator at Westbury Harriers, about his role and how volunteering can be such a rewarding experience.

Volunteer recruitment

From the Blaise Blazer to the Westbury Wipeout and hosting a Gwent League cross country fixture, Westbury Harriers delivers a packed calendar of events each year. Most recently, at the Gwent League cross country at Blaise Castle, a team of 40-50 volunteers came together to make the day possible. Alastair explains the strategies he finds most effective when recruiting volunteers for such large-scale events:

“All of our registered members receive an email inviting them to volunteer. Typically, we get a good response from this, and we continue with follow-ups until the event. We also communicate with our members through the Westbury Harriers Facebook group, our weekly newsletter, and word of mouth at our training sessions. I’m quite active at the club, regularly attending training sessions as well as races, so a lot can be achieved by asking fellow members in person!”

As hosts of the Gwent League fixture, Westbury Harriers also considered how adjusting the race timetable to create a larger gap between the women’s and men’s races could further support volunteer recruitment and engagement. Alastair explains:

“The timetable change didn’t just benefit Westbury Harriers, but all clubs that host a Gwent League event; as I’m sure they have volunteers who also are keen to run in the event. The biggest benefit has been allowing the senior men who were running as well as volunteering beforehand to have more time to prepare before their race.”

Volunteer recognition

Recognising, supporting, and retaining volunteers at the club is a priority. Westbury Harriers make sure that their volunteers receive the recognition they deserve and feel supported by the club, which in turn encourages members to continue volunteering.

“I’d like to think that all our volunteers recognise their contribution to supporting these fantastic events each year, and that can be a reward in itself. We make sure to acknowledge our volunteers' contribution from the very beginning in the recruitment emails as well as on the day and after the event.”

“We’ve included volunteering in our Club Championships, where volunteers get points towards their efforts. After the event, they also received a lot of positive feedback from the participants, thanking us for putting on the event.”

“We also recognise our volunteers’ efforts at our annual awards evening, where there are awards that recognise a range of contributions made to the club. Volunteers have also been recognised in our Member of the Month award, where anyone can be nominated by members for any kind of contribution to the club.”

A rewarding experience

Alastair also reflected on his own motivation to volunteer and coordinate others and what he finds most rewarding about his role:

“I think the main motivation for me is simply the contribution that I can make to my running club. I could see all the effort that the club puts into organising their events and training sessions when I first joined. After a while I decided I wanted to be able to give back.

“The reward itself is an event well done, where all the participants had an enjoyable time.”

Alastair shares his advice for clubs looking to strengthen their volunteer base or improve their event organisation, highlighting the importance of having a dedicated volunteer coordinator:

“Communication is key with your members ahead of events. Members will step up; some may just need some gentle encouragement. When organising an event, lots of things need to happen, and a volunteer coordinator is a crucial role. The initial work when you step up to the role of volunteer co-ordinator can be challenging, but with the help of other organisers and other members, you’ll find your stride!”