New funding aims to create Games volunteer legacy
A £40,000 grant has been awarded to the Birmingham 2022 volunteering programme to help them live on beyond the Games.
The 14,000 people, known as the Commonwealth Collective, who generously volunteered their time over the summer are credited as the most diverse group of volunteers ever seen in the UK.
The grant will enable the Organising Committee to work with existing organisations in the West Midlands to harness this surge in volunteering and create a plan for a more permanent programme.
In addition to the grant, Spirit of 2012 will work with the Organising Committee through to the end of 2022 to share lessons on setting up and sustaining volunteering programmes in other places, including Hull Volunteers, which is still thriving five years down the line from Hull UK City of Culture 2017.
Over the last eight years Spirit of 2012 has funded projects that have created nearly 50,000 volunteering opportunities and has a particular focus on ensuring they are inclusive for underserved and disabled people.
They also announced a further £1million of funding for four places that bid for the UK City of Culture 2025 to develop their volunteering infrastructure.
Ruth Hollis, chief executive of Spirit of 2012, said: “This year is the tenth anniversary of London 2012. As a nation, we 're still talking about that summer, with 65 per cent of people saying that the effects are still being felt ten years on.
“But there was an opportunity at the time, that many feel was lost, to really capitalise on the spirit of the Games Makers. We 've learned a lot since then, and together with the organising committee we are determined not to lose the opportunity we have here for Birmingham and the West Midlands. ”
Cllr Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “There were many stars of the show during Birmingham 2022, but none bigger than the Commonwealth Collective.
“They showed the world how generous and helpful the people of our city can be - and those who were a part of the Collective have skills, qualities and experience that can now be used for the good of Birmingham in the future. This new platform will enable them and others to play their part in supporting a wide range of projects, further strengthening the legacy of our Commonwealth Games. ”
The £40k grant will fund a member of staff to consult with volunteers, prospective volunteers and volunteering organisations. This will inform a set of recommendations, delivered by the end of this year, for establishing a permanent volunteering platform for Birmingham and the West Midlands.