Volunteers sign up to help at NatWest Island Games 2023

This was the first of two events in the Dave Ferguson Hall where the volunteers – games makers and technical officials – were given a video presentation, talks, and had the chance to choose a T-shirt or polo shirt and get their photo taken for their passes.

A second session is on Sunday.

Following the presentations, dozens of attaches – people who have already volunteered – were on-hand to complete the formalities.

One such was Helen Bradshaw who will be looking after the Cayman Islands team during their visit: ‘Last time I was a bus driver and I really enjoyed it,’ she said. ‘Today I’m doing T-shirts.

‘We were all brought in 2019 then everything went pear-shaped.’

Volunteer Peter Foote was trying on the shirts and said this was the first time he had offered to take part: ‘I’ve offered to do transport and drive the minibuses,’ he said.

‘I know someone who did it last time and really enjoyed it so I’m looking forward to it.’

Helen Savage was a games maker at the 2012 London Olympics, where she assisted with the basketball sessions, so has this experience to bring to the Island Games.

‘It was amazing but I didn’t see much of the events,’ she said.

‘I think this will be just as challenging.

‘I’m keen to help out in any way that I can really.’

Joining more than 1,000 islanders will be Lt-Governor Lt General Richard Cripwell and his wife Louise.

‘We are really excited about the opportunity that the island has, not just to put on a fantastic show, but to do it really well,’ he said.

‘Having been at Commonwealth Games earlier this year, the volunteers are the difference.

‘We were incredibly struck by their enthusiasm, by their knowledge, their willingness to help, and their extraordinary positivity, not just about the Games but about their city, and we really wanted to be part of that here in Guernsey.’

He said they would be happy to take on any role they were offered because they just wanted to be involved.

Director of volunteering Wayne Bulpitt said that he was delighted with the response at the end of Saturday morning’s first session and urged those who had not already booked a session to get their names down for one of Sunday’s.

‘The response to our recruitment drive has been brilliant and we want to thank every single person who has signed up so far,’ he said.

Although the volunteers team is nearly at capacity there are still some spaces and people can still sign-up before the cut-off date of Friday 30 September at guernsey2023.gg.

n More than 3,000 athletes and team members from 23 other islands around the globe have indicated that they will be arriving in Guernsey for the Games week, 8-14 July next year.