Why volunteer?
Volunteering has many benefits. It helps volunteers develop new skills and knowledge that can be useful in progressing in paid employment and contributing to university and college applications. It helps us build new connections, make new contacts and meet people from different backgrounds to ourselves. Volunteering at a Run 4 Wales events gives volunteers an insight into the running community, offering a day of volunteering in the open air promoting health and wellbeing, without needing a lot of physical fitness. We only ask that you have plenty of enthusiasm to cheer on and congratulate the runners!
PCSO and Extra Miler Amy Hughes, who along with the Cardiff and Vale Police Cadets, has volunteered at several Run 4 Wales events, says “‘Besides building character and finding out what excites them in life, volunteering also teaches youth important life skills that aren’t always as easy to teach in school. They learn hard work ethic and gain the confidence to engage with people from all walks of life and can give back to the wider community.’
Volunteering benefits the wider society, bringing local communities closer together as people get to know each other, work with a common purpose and drive positive change. Regular Extra Miler John Timmons says “Volunteering has been fabulous I’ve met many like-minded people from right across the UK. I love welcoming the runners to the city and helping them enjoy their day”.
Run 4 Wales has always focused on a positive social agenda in addition to our aim of delivering world class events. Our events are a platform to raise much needed funds for a range of charities and good causes and our financial surpluses are invested into our charitable foundation which supports grassroots sport and community projects. Recently we teamed up with NSPCC Cymru to support National Childhood Day by providing a school in Wales with a free mud kitchen, important to encourage creativeness and outdoor play.
It’s amazing to think that seven in ten of UK adults have volunteered at least once in their life (ref 1). Indeed, many of our Extra Milers have been volunteering with Run 4 Wales since our first event back in 2012. Long-time Extra Miler Jin Tan says “Each time in an event, I meet friendly R4W staff, familiar and new volunteers and people from different partner organisations. It provides a nice feeling of community and connection. I can give back a little bit to Cardiff, the city where I live.” Our volunteer surveys, which we carry out after every event, reveal that while our volunteers support us for many different reasons, 70% say that they volunteer in order to “give something back”.
So what are you waiting for? Register to volunteer today and join the growing community of Extra Milers!
- Time Well Spent: A National Survey on the Volunteering Experience. NCVO. 2019.