Date: 6th July 2014
Location: Sheffield
Mission: Le Grand Départ 2014
Role: Supervisor, Sector 20
One never forgets how to ride a bike :-)
13th February 2014 - Applied for a role with the Tour of Yorkshire!
Today I applied for one of the most exciting events to come to my university city of Sheffield - Le Tour de Yorkshire!!
With the excitement surrounding the events and my recently purchased road bike, I was more than definitely inspired to apply!
The application form its self was relatively straight forward, once I'd dug my driving license out to find the number for the ID section! The amount of times I need this for volunteer application forms, I should probably save it in my mobile or something!
With my previous experience of coordinating/supervising volunteers I applied to be considered for a supervisor role. When it came to actual role on the day, I'd pretty much do anything, anywhere to be involved!
Application submitted, now time to wait...
28th February 2014 - Interview Time!
I'd read on the website that anyone applying for a supervisor role would be asked to complete an online interview, or should I say virtual online interview! Having completed a Skype interview for Sochi 2014 I wasn't too nervous about talking into my computer. The nerves came from the fact there wasn't going to be a person on the other side of the screen so to speak!
So, I woke up early this morning, put on a smart top (jogging bottoms on the bottom half!) and loaded the software. Personally, I thought it was good way of doing interviews, it allowed me to complete it when I wanted without having to fork out travel expenses to and from the interview, along with needing time off uni. Perfect!
The interview was made up of 4 (or was it 5?) question, nothing unexpected. The interview seemed to be there to check I had the skills and experience to supervise/coordinator a team of volunteers. Fingers crossed I meet their criteria!
21st March 2014 - Congratulations!
Ahhhh the excitement! This email has just landed in my inbox!
"Congratulations Nicola
You have been selected to be a Tour Maker. This is the next step on your way to making the UK stages of the Tour de France 2014 an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. We are really excited to have you on board."
I'm going to be volunteering as a Tour Maker!! WOOOOOOOPPPP!!!!!
However..... I still don't know where I'll be or what I'll be doing! Eeekkk!!I've offered to volunteer at any of the 3 stages so finding out where I am should be interesting :-)
16th April 2014 - Orientation booking opens!
Now the excitement is really starting. Today I received an invite to book my orientation training. Apparently at orientation I'll find out "what being a Tour Maker will involve, and see some very special guests."
Living in Sheffield I chose the Leeds orientation training, which just happens to be the day after my Glasgow 2014 Role Specific Training so it looks like I'll be flying up and down the country that weekend - I just can't get enough!
9th May 2014 - Stage and Sector Confirmation!
Today the excitement really really got going as I received an email detailing the stage and sector I'd be allocated!
I was so excited to find out that I'd be allocated Stage 2, Sector 20. Sector 20 is the final sector of Stage 2 in Sheffield! Being a regular volunteer around this area I was so so excited, nothing can beat me down.
Now just to wait for orientation to find out more about the event! :-D
25th May 2014 - Orientation Training!
This morning was the first in the series of Tour Maker Training! Off I went to Leeds, after returning to Sheffield from my trip up to Glasgow only this morning! It made for one very sleepy Tour Maker!
The adventure started with a very busy train to Leeds. Apparently the train company had put one less carriage on than usual, but never mind, 40 minutes later I arrived in Leeds ready to follow my map to the arena.
It would be wrong to write this post without mentioning one thing. That one thing being the rain! It poured and poured down, leaving those of us who had arrived early for the doors opening DRENCHED! However, it's fair to say that everyone I spoke to in the queue was very positive and excited for the event, so no Tour Makers spirits were dampened.... unless our feet...!!
After an hours wait the show began! As per usual with 'orientation trainings' no 'real' training occurs, that's saved for Role Specific training. It's all about motivating the volunteers and getting the buzz going about the event!
It was amazing to see the venue so busy, with loads of Tour Makers venturing out and braving the rain. Now doubt many Tour Makers will have travelled a lot further than myself - Well done to those!!
The 'show' itself was hosted by Rob Bonnet a BBC Sports Journalist and featured the following 'special guests':
- Gary Verity - Chief Exec of Welcome to Yorkshire! He went out of his way to confirm that the Yorkshire folk are more than welcomed to call people love and pet!
- Brian Robinson - The first Briton to finish the Tour de France and the first to win a Tour Stage!
- Jenny Brierley - A Games Maker with a volunteering addiction who spoke about her times as a Games Maker at London 2012 and how that inspired her future.
- Nicky Roche - Chief Exec of TdF Hub 2014!
- Nicola Adams, MBE - I really don't think I need to explain who she is! She was awesome!
- James Tibbetts - Events Operations Director at TdF Hub 2014
- Bob Brayshaw - Safety and Security Director at TdF Hub 2014
- Kate Fox - Poet
- Toby Cuthbertson
- Alistair Griffin - Singer of the offical Tour of Yorkshire track 'On the Road'
Along side this excitement there was also a cheeky video with the star of Educating Yorkshire showing off a teaser of the lovely ASDA green Tour Maker Uniform!I LOVE the fact the back says "TOUR MAKER.... Happy to Help :-)" Although it is ASDA's tag line, I think it's a brilliant representation of what volunteers are there to do.
Once the event was over, I took the scenic route back into the train station hoping to pick up a Tour of Yorkshire Pencil (I admit, I'm a geek, I collect pencils from different places!) but sadly the shop was very VERY busy... so much so there was a queue to get in!
All was not lost though! After a bit more wandering through the shopping centre I managed to find the count down clock. I literally spent a good 10 minutes looking at it! It's a very interesting piece of engineering!
6th June 2014 - On route or off route....!?!?
Having booked Role Specific Training early this month, the wait to find out whether I'd be allocated an on route or off route role had begun. With every event I volunteer at it's the being there that counts, so although I had my preference I was never going to be disappointed!
Email came through..... I'm an on route supervisor...Yipppeee!!! :-D
15th June 2014 - Role Specific Training!
For Role Specific Training I headed up to Leeds with a fellow volunteer. The additional excitement of today is that today would be the day that uniforms were distributed!
6th July 2014 - Race Day!!
Wow Race Day was finally here after many many many days of talking about the Tour coming to Sheffield, today was the day.... The tour was coming to Sheffield! My day started with a brisk walk up to Hillsborough Leisure Centre where all the Tour Makers for that area were meeting.
For Role Specific Training I headed up to Leeds with a fellow volunteer. The additional excitement of today is that today would be the day that uniforms were distributed!
6th July 2014 - Race Day!!
Wow Race Day was finally here after many many many days of talking about the Tour coming to Sheffield, today was the day.... The tour was coming to Sheffield! My day started with a brisk walk up to Hillsborough Leisure Centre where all the Tour Makers for that area were meeting.
