EDDIE IZZARD

PEOPLE
“I think there are
many people out there
who don’t realise how
much sport relies
on volunteers”
Eddie Izzard, Join In ambassador
Eddie Izzard’s credentials as a
comedian and actor are well
known, but his long-standing
passion for sport (and particularly
running) is perhaps less so.
A few eyebrows – and a lot of money –
were raised in the autumn of 2009, when
he took a month off his entertainment
work and completed an impressive 43
marathons in 51 days for Sport Relief. By
the time he had finished, he had raised
more than £1.85m for the charity.
A year later, in 2010, he was heavily
involved in the search for the 70,000
volunteers needed for the London
2012 Games. To this day he continues
to play his part in maintaining the spirit
of London 2012 through his work as a
high profile patron at the Join In Trust
– a 2012 legacy programme aimed at
encouraging people to volunteer in their
local communities.
“Volunteers are the backbone of sport
in the UK – without them, sport just
wouldn’t be possible,” says Izzard. “Behind
every sporting champion or grassroots
sports club is an army of volunteers who
have dedicated their time and efforts
to sport. Every Olympic, Paralympic
and professional sports star started
out at a local sports club or group. Any
one of them will tell you how important
volunteers are, and the vital role that
they’ve played in their career.”
GETTING INVOLVED
Following his record-breaking marathon
challenge, Izzard was asked to help with
efforts to create a volunteer network
for London 2012. Alongside a number
of other famous faces, he was part of a
team responsible for recruiting members
of the public to do their part in fulfilling
the Games’ legacy pledge – Inspiring a
Generation. Being Izzard, his personality
and enthusiasm for the cause was an
instant hit and he soon became the
unofficial “cheerleader” for the famous
London Games Makers.
“I was lucky enough to be involved in a
small way in the recruitment and training
of the Games Makers,” Izzard says, playing
down his role in his customary style. “And
I’m thrilled to see that the awareness of
and enthusiasm for volunteering continues
to grow in the UK. It was in evidence last
year with the Commonwealth Games’
Clyde-siders and the Tour Makers during
the Tour de France Grand Départ.
“But the big, high-profile events are
just touching the surface. Seven out of
10 grassroots sports clubs still need more
volunteers. Given that each volunteer
creates the capacity for at least 8.5 more
participants in sport (yes, eight and a
half people!), it’s vital that we keep the
volunteering spirit alive.”
Izzard says his passion for – and
understanding the importance of –
volunteering was strengthened during his
record-breaking marathon efforts.
“When I was running around the UK,
in my haphazard fashion, I saw the spirit
of volunteering every day. From the
outside, running looks like an individual
sport but you could not survive without
the team you’re a part of.
“Your team are the people who sort you
out mentally and physically at the end of
every marathon and the start of every day.
They share the highs and lows with you.
It wasn’t just the experienced advisers,
coach, sports therapist and tour manager
who were part of this team either, it
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sportsmanagement.co.uk issue 4 2015 © Cybertrek 2015