We asked our current volunteers to outline their background and why they got involved with CAAC.
Janet Grigor is an athlete who is a qualified official and also sits on our Equality sub group. Janet is also a coach and one of our Co- Captains. She started volunteering with Inverness Harriers in 1994 and continued doing so when she moved to Edinburgh in 2013 and joined CAAC.She admits volunteering makes her feel useful.
Kira Mourao has no athletics background but wanted to give something to the club soon after her daughter joined in 2018. She is now a qualified official and helps at training where she loves to see the kids progressing. Kira is about to commence her coaching qualification.
Carrie Main is a young athlete who helps at training. She started volunteering in 2021 to build her confidence and gain the hours towards her Duke of Edinburgh Award. Carrie enjoys the atmosphere and loves helping younger athletes improve and become more confident with a sport she is very passionate about.
Harry Baird is another who started elsewhere and had no athletics background, he got involved when his son took up athletics in 2009. Amazed at the number of officials it took to run a meeting he quickly got involved as a track official and was selected to officiate at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Harry has also served on committees, and indeed now works in athletics as our ClubTogether Officer.
Graeme Reid is an athlete who started volunteering in 2016. It struck him that the club was always looking for help so he committed to do as much as possible. Graeme lived up to that pledge and has recently qualified as n coach and official, as well as being on the committee as Vice President! He thinks there’s a genuine appreciation from athletes towards volunteers and he enjoys a bit of banter with them along the way.
Mhairi Bagnall is an athlete with children who are also members. She started volunteering in 2017 to give something back. She serves on the committee as our Welfare Officer – a role that gives a great insight into what is involved. Mhairi has recently qualified as a timekeeping official. She loves timing as it becomes a bit of competition between the timekeepers for accuracy!. Mhairi’s greatest pleasure is to see kids enjoying the sport.
Fran Snitjer is another with no athletics background but has two boys competing for CAAC. Rather than just dropping them off at training Fran wanted to give something back to the club. She started volunteering in 2020 and is now a qualified assistant coach and sits on our equality sub group.Fran finds volunteering at the club very sociable and has also allowed her to learn new things about athletics (technical aspects and how many officials it takes to run an event).