Paralympic swimming star Ellie Simmonds calls on Warwickshire sports fans to join the force of volunteers for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Five-time Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmonds is among the elite athletes who is appealing to people in Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands region to join to Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games volunteer force.

She is calling on sports fans from across the area to join the 13,000-strong Commonwealth Collective and help support the region's biggest-ever sporting event for which Leamington will be hosting the lawn bowls and para bowls competitions.

Ellie, who had spent the day helping to help clean up Walsall’s canals with litter picking charity World Against Single Use Plastic (WASUP), said: "Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Commonwealth Games, the unsung heroes that allow us as athletes to succeed.

Volunteering at WASUP was a fantastic way for me to give back to my local community in Walsall and I hope it inspires others to do the same.

"Volunteering at Birmingham 2022 will be a unique opportunity to contribute to the community and experience a home games, so I’d encourage people of the West Midlands to submit an application.

"Even my parents and my coach are going to apply.”

Team England rugby sevens player Heather Fisher and Commonwealth gold medal-winning boxer Galal Yafai joined Ellie in taking time out of their training schedules to give back and volunteer, trying out some of the tasks that the Commonwealth Collective might typically handle.

The majority of the volunteer roles do not need any formal experience or qualifications, with full training provided.

Roles will include drivers, first aiders, meet & greeters, venue preppers, kit carriers, courtside assistants, and everything in between to help the games run smoothly.

Applicants must be aged 18 by 1stJanuary 2022 and can select preferred areas of interest which include Event Services, Accreditation, Transport, Sport and Media.

A young volunteer programme for 14 to 17 year olds will begin recruitment in the autumn.

The 25,000 shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview at the Volunteer Selection Centre between September and December 2021, which will be held at the Library of Birmingham.

Applications are now open to be a volunteer at Birmingham 2022 and join the Commonwealth Collective.

To apply and find out more, visit www.birmingham2022.comTo see Ellie, Galal and Heather's message visit https://www.youtube.com/embed/YNehEDzdPIA