NEWS: Local volunteer Marie Deane looks forward to Commonwealth Games 2022

Words & pics of Marie Deane by Steve Sharma

Local resident and Witton Lodge Community Association (WLCA) volunteer Marie Deane is on her marks for the experience of a lifetime, working at the Commonwealth Games 2022.

The 50-year-old, who has actively supported WLCA for more than five years, will be helping facilitate the hockey and squash tournaments – two of the most popular sports in the Games, with athletes battling it out every day after the opening ceremony.

Recruited as part of the Stand Out project, which opened up volunteer roles for people across the city, Marie will spend the 11 days of the Games’ competitions helping organisers prepare the venues for spectators.

In total, the Commonwealth Games 2022 enlisted over 10,000 volunteers to help deliver and support the prestigious sporting event – with about 30,000 people expected to attend.

Marie will also assist stadium staff with catering and cleaning duties, as well as getting rooms prepared for the athletes coming to compete in Birmingham.

Throughout the Games, over 5000 athletes will be taking part in 280 events across 23 sporting categories.

“It is so exciting and I can’t wait to get started, I just want to get stuck in,” said Marie.

“On a personal level, the experience will help to boost my confidence and make me feel more self-assured. The training I have received has been very positive and brought the Games to life for me. I know a lot more about it now than I did before.

“I feel energised just by the idea of playing a part in this historic event,” she added.

“I really believe I will thrive. I am a people person and there will be so much going on around the whole event, it will be dynamic.”

The Commonwealth Games 2022 begins in Birmingham on Thursday, 28 July and runs until Monday, 8 August. It will be the third time the international sporting competition has been held in England since its inaugural event in 1930.

The main venue for the Games is the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, but sites across the city are also being utilised – such as Sutton Park for the Triathlon and Para Triathlon events, with Powell’s Pool, the park itself, and surrounding roads ‘providing the ideal topography required to host the three triathlon disciplines.’

Further sporting events will be held outside Birmingham, such as cycling in Warwick, Wolverhampton and London, lawn bowls in Leamington Spa, and rugby sevens in Coventry.

Ahead of the Games’ opening ceremony, The Queen’s Baton Relay will be coming through Pype Hayes Park on Thursday, 28 July – with a celebration event held near the tennis courts by the Chester Road entrance at 12:25pm.

For more on the Commonwealth Games 2022 visit www.birmingham2022.com

For more from Witton Lodge Community Association visit www.wittonlodge.org.uk