People in Swindon are being urged to give up a few hours of their time to help local sports clubs during Olympic year.
The Sport Makers programme, which is being delivered by the Wiltshire and Swindon Sports and Activity Partnership with support from Swindon Borough Council’s Leisure Services and Volunteer Centre Swindon, is a national volunteering programme funded by the Sport England as part of their Olympic People, Places, Play legacy programme. It will recruit 40,000 new sports volunteers aged 16 and over to organise, lead or support community sporting activities across the country.
The volunteers who take part in the programme will become Sport Makers and will organise sport for themselves and their friends, colleagues and neighbours.
Those that are not directly taking part in sport themselves will be taking on a more organisational role to make the sporting activity possible. This can include supporting qualified coaches, providing half time refreshments, helping to organise and run an event, helping clubs with their admin, marketing or fundraising and even washing kit or helping to maintain grounds and facilities.
Everyone who chooses to become a Sport Maker will be invited by their County Sports Partnership (CSP) to an inspiring workshop in Swindon. They will then be supported to find local opportunities that suit them to increase participation in sport. Free Adidas kit will also be available to those that take part.
It is envisaged that Sport Makers will organise and support hundreds of thousands of new hours of grassroots sport across the country. While doing so, they will bring the Olympic and Paralympic values to life in every community.
Cllr Keith Williams, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Corporate Services, said: “I am delighted our Leisure Services team is taking such an active role in the Sport Makers programme because it is an initiative that could leave a lasting legacy for sport in Swindon.
“The great thing about the programme is that anyone can get involved either by taking part in sport or by organising behind the scenes. I would urge anyone who is already feeling inspired by the Olympics to get in touch and find out how to get involved.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Sport Makers programme should visit: www.sportmakers.co.uk to register their details and then follow the instructions to sign up for a workshop at the Delta Tennis Centre, Welton Road, Swindon, SN5 7XF (6pm -9pm) on one of the following dates: Wednesday 22 February, Wednesday 23 May or Wednesday 12 December. More workshops will be available depending on demand.
The workshops are a good opportunity to find out more and to find a volunteering opportunity.
Anyone who wants to carry on volunteering after the Sport Makers programme has finished can contact Gladys Barr on 07768 687986 or email: gbarr@swindon.gov.uk
For more information on Sport Makers contact Ben Maxfield on 07917 030947 or email: ben@wiltssport.org