Become a Volunteer

Q. Why volunteer at our events?

Our Great Run, Great Swim and Ultra events are fantastic opportunities to have fun, meet new people and be part of a ‘big event’ experience.
As a member of our amazing volunteer team, you will play a key part in the event delivery and will be able to make a real contribution to the race day experience of our participants.
In terms of perks, you will receive a souvenir technical t-shirt and a Greggs packed lunch with a drink. If you are volunteering as part of a community group, you will also receive a donation to your group as a thank you for volunteering.

Q. What volunteer roles are available?

The volunteer roles vary, however here are some examples of the roles that appear frequently at our events:

Finish Team Volunteer
As part of the finish team you will be the first happy face that the participants see when they cross the finish line. Your role will consist of congratulating the participants on their amazing achievement, asking them which size t-shirt they would like, and handing them a finisher’s pack.

Start Team Volunteer
As a member of the Start Team your role will be to direct the runners into the correct assembly areas; the colour of their run number will correspond to the assembly area they need to be directed to. You may be called upon to walk the waves of runners forward to the start line.

Baggage Info Team Volunteer
The baggage drop is a key function of the event, and as part of this team you will direct runners to the correct location to leave their bags and advise them on how to complete and fix their baggage label. When runners have completed the event and return for their bags you will check their baggage label number matches their run number as they leave the baggage area.

Water Station Team
As part of a feed station team your role will be to unpack bottles of water from pallets on to tables ready for the runners to pick up as they pass. You will need to continually restock the tables to ensure that all runners have access to water and make sure that any waste is flattened and packed away neatly ready to be collected by the cleansing team after the event.

Course Marshal Team
As a member of the course marshal team you will be given a location on the route of the course. It could involve directing runners, helping spectators cross the route, helping to warn runners of any upcoming hazards, and generally cheering on the runners!

Customer Services Volunteer
This role involves assisting at the Information Point; answering questions from runners about the event including general directional queries around the local area. You will also be involved with queue management and handing out safety pins to runners.

Q. Is there a minimum age for volunteers?

You must be a minimum of 16 years old to set up an account on the Great Run Volunteer Portal.
Minors not volunteering as part of a group must be accompanied by an adult throughout the event.

There are no specific age restrictions for minors volunteering as part of a group (scout, cadet, youth group etc) however a member of our team will advise on appropriate age ranges for each event depending on the demands and duration of the role. Children must be appropriately supervised in accordance with the organisation’s child/adult ratios.

Q. Can I bring a friend?

Yes! However your friend will need to be registered on the Great Run Volunteer Portal and assigned a role in advance of the event day. Let us know the name of your friend and we will do our best to station you together.

Q. I would like my group/organisation to volunteer, how does this work?

Please drop the Great Run team an email at volunteers@greatrun.org and we will send you a group invitation link where you can register as a group leader.