The Sussex Beacon Half Marathon 2008

The route and the runners are only part of the whole story, it is a much bigger picture and the majority of the personnel used at The Sussex Beacon Half Marathon, Brighton are voluntary.

Many of our 200 volunteers come back again year after year, but as the size of the race increases we are looking for more to help us.

Before the event we invite/expect you to attend a Volunteer Briefing meeting – where you will learn about the event from which way the route goes, where everything is and if dogs are allowed! You will be briefed around the Health and Safety aspects of the event and how that will affect everyone helping out in their roles. Runners will ask you with your distinctive volunteer bib questions, we will give you FAQ and their answers or where to go to get more information. You will meet with your fellow volunteers and be introduced to your team leader. You will receive written briefing around your role, including what to do in an emergency, together with contact details for passing on or finding out information. Volunteer Skills

We can use your skills, be they brawn or brains. If your bent is early rising, or your talent is organising or team building, encouraging or driving, hitting a keyboard or communicating - we can use you. Your genius may be getting a straight line in all that you do, your gift maybe helping people get where they want to go or making them feel special. Or, you may be well endowed with muscle and energy - we need all this and more.

Different roles will require different time commitments. Some roles will start the day before the event and some are just for a couple of hours and some for more. The earliest start time is 6am with bacon butties (veg option available), and the latest finish time is 5pm – unless you stay for egg and chips!

You get to wear a very ‘fashionable’ yellow bib, a dedicated Volunteer Tent where you can get hot drinks, cold drinks, cake, biscuits, sweets, a friendly face and someone to tell your Half Marathon story to. If you are on the early shift, a bacon buttie (veg equivalent), will help you get through the bright chilly morning. This is a small return for your commitment of time and energy, but most of all huge thanks from all at the Sussex Beacon.

Baggage – receiving, sorting and handing out runners left bags
Car Parking – helping with traffic management on Madeira Drive
Communication Centre – a place where you will know what’s going on!
Drivers – transport provision for goods to and around the route
Finish Area – handing out medals, goody bags, and water!
Madeira Drive Clear Down – removing all traces of the event at the end of the day
Madeira Drive Set Up – putting out barriers, signs, blowing up balloons,
Marshalls – on the route guiding and encouraging runners on their way
Message Runners – to help with communication on Madeira Drive
Route Clear Down – removing all race markers
Route Set Up – setting out cones, bollards, barriers and course tape
St John Ambulance – the St John Ambulance team are volunteers
Stewards – on Madeira Drive including, information, hospitality, entry administration, lost property, prize giving
Team Leaders –organising and communicating with a team of volunteers
Water Stations – a welcome sight for all runners on their 13.1 mile journey - handing out water!

Please go to the Contact Us page and fill in your contact details, availability and skills and we will make contact with you soon.