Case study: Volunteering for the Commonwealth Games - Claire's Story

Meet one of the volunteers who will be the ‘public face’ of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and will represent the heart and soul of the games experience for a global audience of over one billion people.

Claire Hall is Communications Lead for the NIHR Clinical Research Network West Midlands and she will be joining more than 13,000 volunteers for the Games in July - the largest sporting and cultural event ever held in the region and the biggest in the UK for a decade. 

Claire applied to volunteer in October 2021, alongside 41,000 others and attended an interview at the Birmingham Library. She was one of the lucky ones chosen to help the Games run smoothly.

She has received extensive training and support before volunteering as part of the Event Services Team at the cycling time trials, held at West Park in Wolverhampton and the mountain biking at Cannock Chase where she will be helping to ensure that spectators have the best experience possible.

“I was thrilled to get a place as a volunteer,” she said.

“It was something I was keen to take part in after watching the Olympics in London. I knew a few people who volunteered in 2012 and they were very enthusiastic about how much fun they had.  When I found out the Commonwealth Games were in the Midlands where I live and work, I signed up straight away.

“As well as being a once in a lifetime experience, I think the Games will have a fantastic legacy for health in the West Midlands and beyond, which as an NHS employee makes me very proud."

A number of training events have given Claire and her fellow volunteers an introduction to the Games, information on what they will be doing on site and details of the uniform that volunteers will wear. Claire has now received her uniform and Games credentials and is looking forward to getting started. 

She was also lucky enough to be invited to the rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony.

She said: “The atmosphere was amazing, and it felt really exciting. Everyone is so keen to make it a memorable experience for all involved. I can’t wait for the Games to begin."