What Does A Volunteer Coordinator Do At parkrun?

I thought you might be interested in the Volunteer Coordinator set up at Witton parkrun. This is the table where all volunteers come to register for their high-viz hero stint and where they receive all their training (if needed).

I have my clipboard which has a list of all the lovely volunteer's names and their assigned role for this week. I check them off as they arrive and issue them with their bib (in a bag, just out of sight).

As our route is mainly on trail paths, in the woods, we issue most of our marshals with a walkie-talkie and a lanyard which holds laminated directions to their marshal point and emergency instructions if needed (including the 'What Three Words' reference for their marshal point). They are asked to radio through to the Run Director when the first runner and when the Tail Walker has passed, on both loops. This information is also radioed through to all marshals so everyone has a good idea of where all runners and walkers are on the course.

On the table you can see our tokens - sorted back into number order from last week on our custom-built hook system. These are then lifted off and put on a shoelace - retaining their numerical order... VERY IMPORTANT - and go into the little bag that our ED Michelle made so it's easy to carry to the Finish Funnel.

We have a sign-up sheet so that you can jot your name down in advance to volunteer next week - or at any point in the future.

The plastic box houses a keyring full of laminated printed barcodes of most of our regular participants so they know they have one less thing to think about each week. We also have another box that you can safely leave your keys and/or mobile phone if you don't want to run with them.

Next is the noise! We pride ourselves on having enthusiastic and LOUD marshals as encouragement and praise is very much needed at all parts of our course. Marshals can take a cowbell or a tambourine or just rely on their vocal chords.

We have our first aid kit to hand just in case - we also have a defibrillator close by, because you never know! It's better to have these items and not use them, than not have them and need them.

After you have finished your parkrun, we occasionally have cakes available - these here are left over from my 100th parkrun a few weeks back. We ALWAYS have dog treats though - these are in the Celebrations box so don't be dipping in there and expecting a Bounty or a Malteaser mini bar! You can pick yourself up a free 10 year anniverary Witton parkrun keyring though - we have lots of these left!

Well done on getting to the end - I'd love to know if you found this interesting. And let me know if you want to volunteer next week - I'll pop your name down on my sheet.