More than 225 volunteers have teamed up with Glasgow Life to deliver the LEN European Short Course Championships at Tollcross International Swimming Centre this week, with applicants from as far away as Hungary and the United Arab Emirates.
From directing spectators to their seats, providing information and support to the swimmers and the media, organizing transport and issuing the all-important access passes, the range of roles to be filled is endless and the event simply wouldn’t be possible without their help.
With numerous major international sports events like the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2018 European Championships being held in Glasgow over recent years, Scots have regularly stepped up to the plate and are now a ready trained and battle hardened workforce.
Over 85% of the volunteers this week have supported previous events and are developing an impressive resume, with a number even travelling to volunteer here from overseas, clearly getting a huge buzz from their involvement, gaining new skills and making great friends in the process.
Speaking at Tollcross Internationsl Swimming Centre on what was aptly International Volunteers Day, Hayley Brown said: “Volunteers are amazing and play an important role within an event like this, because we just bring so much light and energy!”
Archie Gillies: “Events like this wouldn’t really function properly without volunteers. You intermingle with people, you meet new friends and you are doing something for the city.”
Hope Logue: “I think without the volunteers this is not something that would be able to be run as well. I like to meet all the different people and do a variety of jobs.”
Max Litchfield, who won Great Britain’s first gold medal of the championships in the men’s 400m individual medley, recognized the importance of the volunteers and said: “These events couldn’t run without these guys who do an amazing job. The fact that they are here helping out and wanting to help swimming is fantastic and pushing the sport forward.”
Thanking the volunteers on behalf of the city, Billy Garrett, Director of Sport and Events at Glasgow Life and Co-Chair of the Glasgow 2019 Steering Committee, said: “We are hugely grateful to all the volunteers who have so generously given up their time over the last week to ensure the event is such a huge success and demonstrate just why Glasgow and Scotland continue to be recognized as the perfect stage for events.
“It was great to see so many well kent faces back in the thick of things at Tollcross and I very much hope they have an enjoyable experience and will be keen to support us again in the future.”
Tickets for the event are still available HERE and from the Tollcross box office.