Sheila is a retired PE teacher from Glasgow who uses her passion for sport to get involved in voluntary experiences. We caught up with her to find out more about her journey and her advice to others considering volunteering in the future.
What was your experience of sport growing up?
I have always been interested in sport and played school hockey throughout my secondary schooling. I also represented my school at athletics mainly long jump and sprinting. As a result I decided I wanted to become a PE teacher.
What is your volunteering experience to date?
I suppose my first experience of volunteering was as a Brownie leader while I was still at school. I then went on to help set up a junior hockey team at my club which involved Sunday morning practices and games.
The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games was the first big event I was involved in as a driver. It was a really enjoyable experience that led to me volunteering for the 2018 European Championships. Following that the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in 2019.
I also mentor a school pupil through the MCR pathways programme.
What/who inspired you to get into volunteering?
I suppose I appreciated the people who had given their time to enable me to play sport and wanted to give something back.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering?
I enjoy meeting people and being involved in big sporting occasions.
Have you had to overcome any challenges or barriers whilst volunteering?
I have been fortunate to have had a smooth, uneventful time during my volunteering experiences.
What advice would you give to others looking to get involved in volunteering?
DO IT! You will get a lot of satisfaction and enjoyment from it and experience new challenges.