Volunteer with Us

Colchester Swimming Club values diversity and is most appreciative of our amazing volunteers!

Volunteers at our Club bring their skills, experience and enthusiasm to a broad range of tasks within our Club. This is an important part of our Club as it helps us develop a real sense of family and has brought us together during this terrible COVID-19 pandemic.

As a sports club heavily reliant on the support of our members and welcome all the support available.

Our Volunteer Coordinator

We need your help..

Please consider getting involved. The more volunteers we have the easier each of these roles are and the less each individual is required to do. As well as being a fun day for our swimmers, our galas raise much needed funds for our Club. We simply cannot run these events without you!

Need more information on volunteering? Email our Club Volunteer Coodinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to find out more.

Volunteer Roles for an Open Meet (Swim Competition)

Entrance Table
- One volunteer per session of racing
- Upon arrival at leisure world, stick up notices (to be held in the cup cupboard) indicating entrance prices on entrance table and side wall of stairs leading up to the fitness pool. This helps those queuing to have money ready.
- Take entrance fees and sell programmes in corridor outside pool. Give out appropriate coloured wrist bands (different coloured bands depending on how many sessions spectators are staying for) so it is known who has paid.
- Float provided by treasurer/Julie Johnson
- Hand coaches packs to visiting club coaches (programme, warm up timetable and food passes).

Announcer - 2 volunteers for all sessions

– Reads out the safety briefing (to be provided) before warm up and again before racing starts for each session of racing.
– Announces each race during the gala and announce any other information as required by the Referee or Promoter
– Manages when music is played e.g. during warms up and reads out winners of raffle prizes.

Catering - 4 volunteers
– Volunteers required from 1 hr before the start of the first session warm-up, until the main meal served is tidied away, usually 1 hour after final session of racing starts.
– We serve all volunteer officials and coaches with snacks and lunch/main meal between sessions, which is provided by way of donations from parents and purchasing of some items.
– A large role is the organisation of lunch/main meal in advance of the gala. This includes working out what food will be needed, distribution of list to parents, (one list on notice board at Leisure World and second list via email) shopping for certain items and managing the team of catering helpers on the day.
– On the day of the gala, help is needed in organising snacks and lunch, setting up room where it is served and clearing away.
– Deliver water and sweets/cakes poolside to officials and coaches during the gala.

Signing in - 1 volunteer per session of racing
– To supervise signing in, ensuring swimmers have signed in for every race (encourage them to do it themselves) and keeping area clear. Signing in sheets will be provided on the day by competition secretary.

Marshalling - three roles
– 1. Before the gala begins- 1 volunteer wearing high visibility jacket per session of racing - we have a marshal in the reception area to direct swimmers and spectators to signing in and to ensure entrances and stairs are kept clear.
– 2. During the gala - 1 volunteer per session of racing - marshals are asked to keep spectators from blocking entrances/exits. Stopping swimmers from entering viewing area and keeping spectators away from AOE operators, where results are collated. Ensure all spectators are seated during the sessions of racing
– 3. During the gala
- 1 volunteer per session
- must be DBS checked
- to patrol the changing rooms on an ad hoc basis to ensure no misbehaving by swimmers

AOE- Automatic Officiating Equipment- 2 volunteers for full day of the gala
– Operating the Automatic Officiating/ timing equipment and collating results for the gala.
– Print off start lists and heat sheets for coaches and officials.
– Anyone interested in this role would be given training by current volunteers and would be supported on the day of the gala by an independent AOE specialist who will deal with any issues that arise.

Medal table - 2 volunteers per session
– Giving out medals to the race winners.
– Results from each race are bought to the medal table which is normally located poolside.

Promoter - 1 volunteer all day
– Acts as point of contact for all officials and coaches on the day.
– Welcome referees when they arrive so they know who to go to during gala for assistance.
– Remains on poolside, taking instruction from the referee and delegating tasks to others as appropriate.

Organiser of the Volunteers - 1 per gala
– In advance of the gala, contact parents asking for help on the day.
– Organising who will take each role, taking into account which sessions the parents will attend.
– Sending information out in advance of gala so all volunteers are clear on their role and where to find any equipment that may be needed.
– Attending for set up and session 1 of racing if possible, to support all new volunteers in their roles.

Refreshments stall - 1 Volunteer per session of racing
– Selling cold drinks and sweets to spectators that have been donated by parents.


Raffle (two roles)

1. Prizes - two volunteers
– Collect prizes in advance, this can be done in many ways - asking parents for donations to make into hampers, writing to local businesses etc. No need to attend the gala.
– To collate prizes pre-gala and deliver prizes to the pool on day of the gala

2. Selling tickets
- One volunteer per session of racing
– On the day, in corridor, outside pool.
– Draw winners and collate list to give to announcer who will announce winners.