Olympic Heroes Launch Join In Run
A decade on from winning Olympic gold, British relay legends Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish, Mark Lewis-Francis and Jason Gardener were reunited to help launch the Join In Summer Relay, alongside volunteers at Battersea Summer Scheme, a multi-sport initiative for disadvantaged children in London before showcasing their skills on the track.
The quartet helped children try out a number of sports including archery, mini golf and athletics and in order to highlight the important role that volunteers play in community sport.
The London 2012 legacy charity won the Community Programme of the Year Award at the BT Sport Industry Awards 2014 in May.
Rebecca Birkbeck, CEO of London 2012 legacy charity, Join In commented: ‘Battersea Summer Scheme depends on volunteers and Join In were delighted to add a bit of Olympic magic from the Games Makers and the stars.’
Marlon Devonish said: ‘My very first coach was a volunteer and I was with him for 7 years, he laid the foundation for my success.’
The nationwide tour of community sports clubs takes place throughout August and will see Commonwealth stars and top athletes join in with the everyday volunteer roles that make sport possible in the UK. Join In research shows that 7 in 10 clubs need more volunteers.
This Saturday the volunteer baton will then move up to Glasgow, the home of this years Commonwealth Games, and onto two-time gold medallist, Liz McColgan. Liz will give her time to help out at parkrun, a volunteer lead weekly running event in Tollcross.
As the Join In Summer Relay continues throughout August clubs will be joined by a number of exceptional athlete’s who all started at volunteer led sports clubs including gymnast Louis Smith, swimmer Rebecca Adlington, triathlete and iron-woman Chrissie Wellington, decathlete Dean Macey, middle and long-distance runner David Moorcroft, middle distance runner, Dame Kelly Holmes, sprint and huddler Kriss Akabusi, Paralympic gold medalist Richard Whitehead and former rugby international Josh Lewsey.
