My name is Maisie Hollingworth and I am 22 years old and from Chesterfield. I currently live in Sheffield as I am completing my PE teacher training at university.

My volunteer journey started in secondary school when I was 14 as a Youth Sport Trust Young Ambassador. My PE teacher encouraged me to become a Young Ambassadors as I have a passion for sport and have participated in it from a young age. I decided to take this opportunity as I wanted experience another side of sport and encourage my peers to do the same. I aimed to encourage other young people to engage in sport and see the enjoyment you can get from it. Once finishing secondary school, I was eager to continue my volunteering journey and so applied to be a Team Leader for the Youth Sport Trust which I was successful in. These experiences have driven my volunteering journey and has opened doors to new opportunities.

I first volunteered at the SGNF in 2016 as a media ambassador. In this role I interviewed athletes, coaches, and spectators from all over the nation, gaining an insight into their experiences at the games. A highlight from this was watching sports I had never seen before, such as wheelchair basketball and fencing, and meeting and interacting with new people. I then volunteered again at the SGNF in 2022 in the role of a Team Leader. This was my first event as a Team Leader so I was able to build new relationships with others in my team and we were able to share our own knowledge and experiences with each other. Both volunteering opportunities have allowed me to gain a multitude of skills; I have massively developed my confidence through speaking to new people and leading groups of younger volunteers. Volunteering has brought me into a new community with other like-minded people, allowing me to make new connections and share a passion for volunteering.