People throughout Northern Ireland are encouraged to be part of the action and volunteer at next summer’s World Police and Fire Games (WPFG).
Team 2013 have pushed the starter button on a volunteer campaign to recruit over 3500 volunteers who will help deliver what’s being billed as the friendliest Games ever.
Building on the legacy of London 2012 Games Makers, which saw over 1700 local people apply to volunteer at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Volunteer Now are seeking enthusiastic and motivated people, aged 16 and over, to get involved in a variety of roles both on and off the field of play.
Opportunities for volunteers to be a member of Team 2013 include roles within transport, registration, translation, sports venue branding, media, warehousing and many more exciting roles.
The World Police and Fire Games takes place on 1st -10th August next year and is set to attract 10,000 competitors from over 70 countries as well as a further 15,000 visitors. Whilst the Games will be held at locations mainly in Belfast, other venues include those in Bangor, Newcastle, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Castlereagh, Portrush, Larne, Cookstown, Ballymena and the Newry and Mourne region. The volunteer recruitment process is now live with applications to be submitted by 31st October 2012.
Throughout September and October the 2013 staff team will be delivering “VolunTour” – a series of roadshow information points which will travel across Northern Ireland to engage with the community at a grassroots level and highlight the many opportunities available at the Games. It will include visits to shopping centres, libraries, college fresher fairs, a range of high profile public events, business and sporting conferences.
Wendy Osborne OBE, Chief Executive, Volunteer Now said: “The Games offer an excellent opportunity for local people to make a difference through volunteering. By applying to volunteer at the Games they can potentially be a member of ‘Team 2013; the Spirit of the Games’. It also means they can be an ambassador for Northern Ireland, their community and inspire others to pick up the volunteering baton and give it a go!”
Welcoming the start of the volunteer recruitment process, Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie, Chair of 2013 WPFG said: “We are delighted to have already attracted huge interest online and we would encourage members of the public throughout Northern Ireland to take that initial step to experience the ‘Spirit of the Games’ and join Team 2013. Being a volunteer will offer people of all ages, skills and experience a fantastic and unique opportunity to be involved in a one off sporting spectacle as well as meet visitors from all over the world.”
To find out more about the 2013 World Police and Fire Games volunteer programme, including applying online, roles and VolunTour dates/venues go to www.2013wpfg.com/volunteers. For any queries email 2013wpfg@volunteernow.co.uk or tel 028 9023 2020.
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Media contact: Rosemary Allister, JPR Tel 028 9076 0066 or mobile 07880 504928 or email rosemary.allister@jprni.com.
Editors’ Notes:
- Volunteers must be aged 16 or over by 1st January 2013.
- Volunteers should be available for a minimum of three days during the duration of Games Time. Volunteer shifts will include daytime, evening and week-end sessions.
- All potential volunteers will require a level of background checks.
- Selection events and training programmes will include out of office hours and week-end sessions.
- The World Police and Fire Games is a biennial event, which is organised for all serving or retired ‘sworn law enforcement officers’ including police, fire, customs, prison service and some smaller enforcement agencies.
- WPFG is the third largest international multi-sport event in the world (after the Olympics and the World Masters). It is almost three times the size of the Commonwealth Games in terms of competitor numbers.
- The first World Police and Fire Games took place in San Jose in 1985.
- Belfast was announced as the WPFG 2013 host in 2007.
- In 2013 the 66 sports will be held at 41 venues throughout Northern Ireland.
- The economic impact of the Games is expected to be at least £16.3m, creating a much needed boost for the service sector including hotels, restaurants, shops and visitor attractions.
- The Games will assist in promoting Northern Ireland as a ‘must see’ tourism destination.
- WPFG will provide further evidence of Northern Ireland’s ability to organise major events, helping with future bids for similar sized events.
