Read on for a quick round up of why we want you, and what volunteering at the Manchester Half Marathon will involve…..
Why We Need You!
Manchester Half Marathon needs enthusiastic, proactive and practical individuals, who are prepared to be placed in a variety of roles, as required, at the event. If you want to be part of an exciting mass participation sporting event, all whilst supporting runners to raise thousands of pounds for charities, then this is the role for you!
What Skills Do You Need?
- Great interpersonal and communication skills
- Initiative
- A willingness to work as part of a team
- Enthusiasm and a pro-active attitude
- A flexible approach
- Be physically active as some areas of this role may involve some lifting, standing, walking about etc
What Will You Be Doing?
Whilst we can’t guarantee which role you’ll be allocated, event roles will include:
Arrivals:
Meet and Greet
- We are looking for happy, friendly and enthusiastic volunteers to join our Arrivals meet and greet team!
- This is a really important position as you will be the first Manchester Half Marathon members of staff that our participants meet when they arrive in Trafford on event day – and the last face they see when they have finished the event and are looking to head home!
- This is a really fulfilling role as you will get to meet hundreds of our participants and have the chance to welcome them to Manchester, put a smile on their face and get them motivated for their run!
- Ideally we would like you to have a good knowledge of Manchester and how to get around so that you can advise and direct our participants, for example, on how to get to a particular metro station nearby.
Venue:
Bag Drop Off / Collection Area
- This is a crucial area to the success of the event because with thousands of runners turning up in October many will bring a bag with them.
- This area needs to be looked after by a dedicated team of friendly, switched-on volunteers who can help to run the bag drop area like clockwork!
Start:
Management Of The Start
- We need enthusiastic and friendly volunteers who can join our start team to motivate and inspire all of our runners before they set off on their 13.1mile challenge.
- You will be required to communicate and help control the flow of the thousands of participants to the start line so that they start in the right place and at the right time and with a smile on their face!
Finish:
Welcoming Back Runners Into The Finish Area
- We need all singing, all dancing, happy, cheering, loud volunteers to welcome our participants across the finish line and to congratulate them on their achievement.
- You might also be adorning them with medals and handing out t-shirts and medals.
Course Route:
Route Marshalling
- You will be part of a team who are our eyes and ears on the course. You will be positioned at key points around the run route to help direct our participants in the right direction, helping to keep an eye out for safety issues such as those needing support, spectators encroaching on the route, or vehicles not fully complying with road closures. You’ll be doing this all whilst cheering participants on and keeping them motivated! So, you will need to be loud and energetic no matter what the weather!
- You may also be located at key pedestrian crossing points across the route to ensure that members of the public can safely cross the route. For this role you will need to be confident, friendly and be prepared to use your voice!
- You’ll be supported by a Zone Manager, stewards and Moto Marshals so may not have to deal with these challenges alone but we’ll need you to be notifying us when support is required.
Drinks Station
- This is where our runners can grab a quick drink or energy gel and maybe a moment’s rest so we need a team of organised, friendly, welcoming volunteers to support our runners when they need it most, and to keep them hydrated, feeling positive and get them back running again, you may also be asked by our team to keep the roads and footpaths around the station tidy.
Back of the Pack
- This important role will be part of the team running/walking with our participants at the back of the field to keep them motivated towards their goals of finishing their 13.1 mile challenge
- You will need to be physically fit enough to cover most of the 13.1 mile course.
- Provide a supportive presence, showing positivity, encouragement and where required, empathy. Also the awareness of knowing when to support and when to give a participant some space.
How Much Time Do You Need To Commit?
Your commitment to volunteering will only be one day – the Event Day on the Sunday. Start and Finish timings and the length of your shift will vary depending on the role you are doing. On average shifts are around 6 hours with a maximum of 7-8 hours.
We do ask you to prepare for the event by reading through the information provided, which will detail your role and important information about the event. You’ll receive this information approximately 2 weeks before the event and it should take approx. 30 minutes to an hour to read through and understand.
Please note we will not know the exact shift timings until nearer the event date and so more accurate information will be briefed to you by the event volunteer team in the run up to the event.
What Support Will You Be Given?
A member of the team will be in touch before the event to send you a briefing about your role. Your allocated team leader will brief, guide, support and work closely with you on the day at the event.
What Are The Benefits?
- The satisfaction of knowing that you are making a valuable contribution to the event, which in turn is helping to raise vital money for charity.
- The opportunity to develop communication and event skills
- Experience working at a large mass participation sporting event!
- The enjoyment of meeting new people and being a part of our team
- The knowledge that you will have made a positive impact and provided invaluable support, improving the experience of participants and spectators
- If you are part of a volunteer group you can help raise funds for your group/organisation by turning up on the day.
We look forward to welcoming you to the team!
To sign up as an Individual (as opposed to being from an organised group from a club etc.) please complete our short online registration form via the button below. Please do encourage your friends to come along and to sign up to volunteer with you too, the more the merrier!
Volunteering with others is a really enjoyable way to get involved and we love the support from local clubs and organisations. By volunteering at the event, as a reward for their time, these organised groups get a monetary donation of up to £45 per person in their organisation or club.
If you would like to register a group from your club or organisation to volunteer then please fill in our short Group Registration Form via the button below.
This form will automatically be received by our Volunteer Manager, and they will be in touch to confirm the next steps and how to sign up your group members online.
Should you have any queries then please email us at volunteers@aso-uk.com.
To find out more about volunteering for us make sure you check out our FAQs below which should answer any queries you may have.
If you can’t find the answer below and you have any queries before committing, please get in touch via volunteers@aso-uk.com.
Volunteers will receive information around 2-3 weeks before the event date with the details about where and when to arrive and what you will need to bring.
In the meantime, if you are have any specific queries please email volunteers@aso-uk.co.uk stating the event you are volunteering at / querying about in the subject line. If you are volunteering as part of a group then please contact your Group Leader in the first instance.
A member of the event team will contact you before the event to send you all the information that you will need to know about the event and your role. Some roles will entail more responsibility than other roles. Those with more responsibility such as a Team Leader may be expected to attend an online briefing a couple of weeks before the event to get key information for the role.
Please note that in the run up to the event, the event team & volunteer manager can be extremely busy and may not be able to respond quickly to detailed requests for information. However, we will endeavour to answer your queries as quickly as we can!
Yes you can and we would love to have you join us as part of the team!
Adult Groups
A Group Leader should register the groups details by completing our Group Registration Form. In the meanwhile please fill in the form which was earlier on this webpage.
The Volunteer Manager will then send you a link for a short online form that all your Group Members need to register their details on. It is important that they do this so that we can all keep track of numbers, but also so that things like emergency contact details are captured.
Your group members should be over 18 years of age.
Children aged 11-15: for some volunteer locations younger children aged 11-15 may be able to brought along with parents/guardians (if so they will be under their responsibility at all times). In some roles we allocate you to they may count as a headcount towards your numbers, but in other roles where the positions are more spread out this is not possible and they will not.
Children aged 16 & 17: for some volunteer locations children aged 16 & 17 may be able to be in your group without their parent / guardian in attendance (parent / guardian consent is needed to be confirmed pre event for their attendance).
In general when pledging your numbers who will attend please don’t include those under the age of 18. If your group will include members under the age of 18 then please let our volunteer manager know at volunteers@aso-uk.com and this can be considered in your groups role allocation and discussed further as needed.
Group Leaders may be asked to attend a briefing event prior to event day.
Youth Groups
Youth groups are welcome to volunteer - under 18s should be accompanied by adults on a minimum ratio of 1 adult to 6 children (some exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis let us know if your group works differently).
Youth Group Leaders should register the groups details by completing our short Group Registration Form and drop us an email at volunteers@humanrace.co.uk to let us know your interest.
The Group Leader will need to complete a consent form which will be emailed to you. The Group Leader will be fully responsible for the group at the event.
Group Leaders may be asked to attend a briefing event prior to event day.
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and so we’d love to have you as part of our team.
To register as an individual please register using the link at the top of this page. Between now and the event you’ll hear from our Volunteer Manager and closer to the Event day they will liaise with you directly about your role and send you all the information you need.
Yes you can and we would love to have you join us as part of the team.
Individuals aged 11 – 15 at the time of the event must either be accompanied at the event by a parent or guardian that is volunteering too, or be part of a supervised youth group. Parents / guardians must give consent for their child to attend, and youth group leaders must complete a consent form for the group.
Please email volunteers@aso-uk.co.uk to let us know and we can send you detail of what you need to do / fill in.
Individuals aged 16 & 17 can volunteer independently but parents / guardians must give consent for them to attend. Please email volunteers@aso-uk.co.uk to let us know and we can send you detail of what you need to do / fill in.
Yes please! We particularly love having groups volunteer with us so if you recruit a group of colleagues/friends/teammates that would great.
The role profile can be found on our website (click here) along with information about the event. Please note that all volunteers need to register with us before the event, either as individuals (or a group of individuals), or as part of an organised group.
Most of our event volunteer roles do not require you to have any specialist experience or skills, and we will provide all the information and training you need to fulfil your volunteer role on the day of the event.
Any skills that we’d ideally like you to have as a volunteer are clearly stated in the role profiles. If you feel you have a particular set of skills or knowledge that you think may be relevant please do let us know by noting this in answer to the question on the volunteer registration form.
Whatever volunteer role you take on, we will give you all the information and support you need to feel comfortable in your role at the event. This includes information being sent out pre-event.
Group Leaders will be invited to attend an online briefing (around 2 weeks prior to the event) at which point information will be distributed and questions can be asked.
At the event all volunteers will have a Team Leader who they can go to for help and support.
If you have an unspent or pending conviction then you need to declare your conviction to us.
We do allow the involvement of volunteers who have previous criminal records, at the discretion of the recruiting member of staff, providing that it is reasonable to do so.
We will not decline any applications from volunteers on the grounds of spent criminal convictions.
Volunteers with unspent or pending convictions may be declined if the relevance, nature, and/or severity of the crimes concerned warrant that course of action.
Yes you can, and we would love to have you join us as part of the team!
We believe that having a physical or learning disability shouldn’t prevent anyone from volunteering. Please get in touch so we can talk about what roles might suit your skills and any extra support you may need. You can email volunteers@aso-uk.co.uk
You should be ok to volunteer while you are receiving benefits as long as the work you do is unpaid, and you meet the rules of your benefit. However always check with your benefits advisor before you sign up to volunteer.
Yes you can, and we would love to have you join us as part of the team!
However, to allow the Volunteer Manager to have enough time to contact all the volunteers you will be unable to sign up via the website if the event is less than 7 days away. If this is the case then please email volunteers@aso-uk.co.uk stating the event that you would like to work at and let us know your name and contact details. Your information will be collated and you will be provided with a form to register with before or at the event.
The safety of our volunteers is very important to us therefore all volunteers will be looked after by a Team Leader throughout the event. A full health and safety assessment of the event areas will be carried out.
Unfortunately, spectators are not allowed to run the route with participants due to capacity issues. We have lots of cheering points on route so supporters will be easy to spot and ready to cheer on runners.
However, if there is a medical support need for you to assist/guide a friend or family member around the course, please email us at info@manchesterhalfmarathon.co.uk.
On the day, please ensure you wear comfortable sports or outdoor walking footwear. Given the time of year it will likely be cool in the morning when you start.
We recommend wearing a few layers of clothing for this outdoor event as you can always remove them later if you get warm. Also as the British weather is so unpredictable please do come prepared for rain with waterproofs etc just in case.
You will be provided with a volunteer bib to identify you during the event – these will need to be given back at the end. So when planning your outfit please remember that you will need to put on a volunteer bib over the top of your clothes etc and that it will need to be visible at all times so you are identifiable as part of the event crew.
The following are not essential, but are very useful to bring along if you have them:
- A cap, sun-cream, and waterproofs
- A small bag to carry with you with a drink and snacks to eat
- Small torch or head torch as it may be dark when you first get on site!
- If in a route role a packed lunch
For volunteers positioned in or near the event village, you will be provided with a packed lunch. If your role is out on the route, you will receive a contribution after the event towards the cost of your lunch. You may not be positioned close to a shop or café so we recommend you bring a packed lunch with you.
Please note that there will be nowhere to store your bag or items so please only bring with you what you need and leave valuables at home. Please bring a small rucksack or other suitable bag that you can keep on you whilst you do your role.
Please read all the information that will be sent to you so that you know where you need to be and when. Please arrive in plenty of time for your shift and please plan your journey to the event well in advance.
Don’t forget to also check in advance for any TFGM engineering works or closures etc that may be in place across Manchester that may affect your journey.
Your role's start time, sign-in and briefing locations will be communicated nearer to the event but please be aware that the volunteer check-in time could be from around 7:00 on the morning of the event.
Please avoid driving as it will be difficult due to the multiple road closures for the event, as well as it being a central Manchester location so parking will be limited.
Please refer to the TFGM website to plan your journey.
Please also refer to our road closures webpage if needed here.
Please email volunteers@aso-uk.co.uk with the event that you have signed up for, your full name and the change of details required.
We organise the Manchester Marathon, the Manchester Half Marathon, the London Winter Run and some other events throughout the year and we would welcome your support!
Please visit our website aso-uk.com to see what events we do and if you are interested let us know via volunteers@aso-uk.com.