Kentish Express Ashford & District
Tee up a host of skills as volunteer at golf’s The Open
Scheme will look to replicate London 2012
A volunteering scheme for golf’s The Open this summer will replicate the successful ‘Games Maker’ scheme used at the 2012 London Olympics.
Organisers are calling on people wanting to learn new skills and have launched a new ‘event makers’ programme to promote and coordinate opportunities when the championship returns to Royal St George’s in Sandwich.
Like with the Olympics, the programme follows the success of Portrush’s Greeter Programme last year, and the new event makers website has now been launched to show how to get involved at eventmakerskent.co.uk.
It promises “a range of free training opportunities to develop your strengths and support you for your greeter role”.
The training will also lead to qualifications up to NVQ Level 2, including first aid, volunteering and crowd management.
The championship runs from July 12-19 and is expected to see the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory Mcllroy compete for glory. Tickets for many days have already sold out.
Volunteers will be positioned at transport hubs and other key locations away from Royal St George’s to assist and provide useful local information on how visitors can make the most of their stay beyond the golf.
The event makers programme is a partnership between Sporting Events UK, Dover District
Council and Dover Technical College, supported by Kent County Council and The R&A - organisers of The Open.
Cllr Nigel Collor, Dover’s lead cabinet member for The Open said: “Well informed and happy visitors are likely to stay longer and revisit, adding to the local economy.
“It’s great news this scheme is up and running ahead of The 149th Open.”
Barry Hopkins, director, Sporting Events UK said: “We believe in delivering great events for everyone and fundamental to this is the volunteers who make these events happen. We deliver a large number of events in Kent and are looking forward to creating a volunteering legacy for sporting events in the area..”
Nick Holbrook-Sutcliffe, principal at Dover Technical College, added: “We are pleased to be working with our local partners on this project and we’re particularly excited about the legacy that the volunteering programme will have for Kent long after the success of The 149th Open; bringing communities together with a shared pride in all of the experiences our beautiful county has to offer.”
Meanwhile there is still time for community groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations in Sandwich to apply for grants of up to £15,000 from a new scheme aiming to deliver a sustainable legacy from The Open.
The Green Initiatives Grant Programme is part of the legacy investment into the coastal town.
The £52,500 fund comes from a collaboration between The R&A, Dover District Council, Sandwich Town Council and Kent County Council designed to support sustainability and climate change focused projects and initiatives to enhance the long term local environment.
Sandwich-based charities, community groups and notfor-profit organisations heard about the grants at a launch and information event at the town’s Guildhall last Monday, March 2.
Councillor Nigel Collor added: “This is a fantastic opportunity for local groups to secure funding for projects that aim to maintain and enhance the environment in Sandwich for the benefit of the local community for years to come.”
Philip Russell, The R&A’s assistant director for sustainability, said: “The project is part of our investment legacy to preserve and enhance the town and to ensure that we leave positive and lasting benefits for the local community as a result of staging The Open.”
■ To apply for the grants visit dover.gov.uk by April 10.