Alice McNaugher is volunteering for the first time at this year's Commonwealth Games, after deciding she was open to taking on any role. Over the 10 days of the Games, she has been helping keep the event running smoothly, from leading chants to assisting spectators at the SEC campus.
Usually the 36-year-old works in communications for a charity, but the Games have given her a very different experience. More than 3,000 people have been recruited for the event, carrying out tasks ranging from helping visiting teams get around the city to high-fiving fans.
What was Alice asked to do on opening night?
Alice found herself thrown in at the deep end on the opening night of the Games at the OVO Hydro last week. She spent the evening perched in a tall chair, clutching a megaphone in one hand and a foam finger in the other, and leading fans in chanting and cheering for their countries.
“The first thing they got me to do was sit in the umpire chair outside the opening ceremony with a megaphone,” she laughs.
It was the first time she had ever volunteered at any event. She said she was giving directions and warming people up as they queued, and that it took a little time to get used to it before the experience became brilliant.
“I was giving directions, and warming everyone up as they were queuing. It took me a bit of time to warm up to that, but it was brilliant as it went along.
“Something like that is a detour from my normal life. When someone hands you a megaphone and a foam finger it is like you take on a different persona - I'd see Australian fans going past and start leading the Aussie Aussie Aussie chants.”
Throughout the Games, Alice has been based at the SEC campus as part of a team helping spectators on site. The work is not always about using a megaphone; sometimes it means helping fans with disabilities find their seats or showing others which sport is on where.
Alice moved to Glasgow from County Down to study, and describes herself as a keen sports fan who was pleased when the city stepped in to host the Games at short notice. Between volunteering and buying tickets as a fan, she estimates she will see nine of the 10 sports, missing only bowls.
Sampling different sports has been a highlight for her, but she says the standout moment has been speaking to fans from different countries. Because the Games are on her doorstep, it has been easy for her to attend, but she has also been chatting to visitors from Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.
“Obviously the Games are on my doorstep so it's easy for me to attend, but I've been speaking to people from Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand who have come over,” she said.
“They've been really nice, you're always getting high fives when you have your foam finger on and everyone seems appreciative of Glasgow and the Games in general.
“The Fijians are always so vocal, you can always tell when one of them is taking part by the noise.”
Why did Peter Craig return as a volunteer?
Over at Tollcross, where the swimming events have been held, Peter Craig is volunteering from the other end of the scale. He works in IT for a first aid company, but in 2014 he took part as a performer at the Glasgow Games, which sparked his interest in similar events.
Since then, sports fans may have seen him at Euro 2020 matches, cycling championships and BMX events. This year he is working in the media room at Tollcross, yards away from the pool where Scotland's Angharad Evans has picked up medals.
“There was a real camaraderie when I did it in 2014, and I really enjoyed it - I was dancing around with a chair during the ceremony,” he recalls.
“You get to do unexpected things.”
Peter says there is less dancing involved in his current role, which is focused on helping members of the media, but his previous experience has taught him a lot.
“You have to roll with the punches because nothing ever really goes to plan. There are always little things that need problem solving but that's part of the fun – if everything went to script it would be boring.
“It has been quite straightforward this time, but at past events I've been scrambling around underneath desks to fix IT problems or trying to get a Russian women's gymnastics team off the floor as they had over-run their practice time - they weren't keen on that.”
What have the volunteers gained from the experience?
Both Peter and Alice say volunteering has given them a boost beyond simply being involved in a major event. Alice says the opening-night role was intimidating at first because she felt self-conscious, but the reactions from the crowd built her confidence.
“It was intimidating at first because you do feel self conscious up there,” says Alice.
“But then people were reacting back and it built up my confidence. I was loving it.”
There are still challenges, though. Alice says the chair is higher up than people might think, and while getting up was fine, getting down is more awkward.
“The chair is higher up than you'd think! Getting up was actually fine, but getting down is always more awkward.
“Also you get a lot of people making tennis jokes when you're sitting up there.”
Key Facts
- Alice McNaugher is volunteering for the first time at this year's Commonwealth Games.
- More than 3,000 people have been recruited for the 10 days of the Games.
- Alice is based at the SEC campus and expects to see nine of the 10 sports, missing bowls.
- Peter Craig worked as a performer at the 2014 Glasgow Games and is now in the media room at Tollcross.
- Angharad Evans has picked up medals for Scotland in the pool at Tollcross.
