National Volunteer Week - No 2 Gary Beckford

During National Volunteer week we are profiling a number of prominent volleyball volunteers in our community.

No.2 is the Chair of the London Volleyball Association Gary Beckford.

Gary has been involved in Volleyball for many, many years and is seen as an icon in and around London.

Gary has helped to develop Sitting Volleyball, coached at grassroots to the national team(sitting), worked with numerous local authorities, charities, and schools to develop volleyball programs, programmed and delivered holiday sports programs in and around London. He has organise events; community, junior and corporate, and developed the All Nations Volleyball Tournament which started in 2005 and has grown to be the largest indoor adult volleyball tournament in the UK. In 2019 he hosted the first LondonTeqvoly Challenger cup, introducing the sport to a new UK audience. His focus is now on expanding the All Nations tournament to other sports and UK cities and developing robust local competitive opportunities for the increased number of junior volleyball players new to the sport.

We asked Gary a few questions.

1. What was your first volunteer experience?

 Real struggle to remember this. I helped to coach basketball to younger age groups when I was 14. My first more formal volunteering was helping out on a school football trip to Germany, 1984.

2. Who was it that encouraged you to become a volunteer?

Probably my PE teacher at secondary school Mr Prince.

3. What roles have you undertaken as a volunteer?

Just about every role you can imagine - Coach, chaperone, steward, cameraman, sand raker, club chair, ref Co-ordinator, sitting Volleyball lead, clown, santa, fundraiser, trustee and so many more!

4. What has been your most enjoyable volunteering experience?

There are so many but a few that stand out are doing things for others - Organising, fundraising and playing volleyball for 24hours. 

5. What have you gained / learnt from being a volunteer?

 I have gained a lot of friends and loads of good memories. Small actions and a little bit of time can have a massive long-lasting effect on so many people. 

6. Is there one volunteering experience you have on your bucket list?

 Feel like I have been there, done that, and I can’t think of anything at the moment.

Thank you Gary, not just for coming back with the answers to the questions above but all you do for Volleyball.