Sunderland Women’s Rugby World Cup volunteers rewarded with unique pitchside Twickenham final experience

Amanda Holland and Jo Hawes were respectively Northern Light and Fan Services volunteers at the Stadium of Light venue. They were at Twickenham as the invited guests of Allwyn, the operator of The National Lottery. They were the sponsor of the Official Volunteer Programme at the tournament and wanted to highlight the essential role that volunteers played in making the Rugby World Cup a success.

Amanda and Jo were two of 14 volunteers chosen to represent the 1,500 volunteers who worked on the five-week-long tournament at eight venues across England. The 14 were nominated by their peers for going above and beyond in their roles and leaving a positive legacy in their communities.

Allwyn and World Rugby organised a presentation between the bronze and gold medal matches, pitchside of the hallowed Twickenham turf. The volunteers were given mementoes before being presented to the crowd for a moment of appreciation.

Explaining her highlight of the Rugby World Cup experience, Amanda Holland said: “We were standing in a gangway of the stadium towards the end of the match. There was a young girl there with her father, and she was in floods of tears. I asked whether she was ok. They explained it was the first time at an event like this, and it was the first time seeing her rugby heroes on the pitch – they were tears of joy because she was just so happy. And you think,’ that’s what it’s all about’.”

Jo Hawes added that for her, it was a joyous occasion: “Fan Services was all about welcoming and giving our visitors the best possible experience. I had the absolute pleasure of welcoming 42,000 people to the Stadium of Light, and I must have high-fived thousands of them. It was an incredible experience, seeing people from different backgrounds, different age groups, and not seeing the same demographic that you would normally see at other sporting fixtures. It was amazing to see the joy that was brought from the Rugby World Cup.”

With over 82,000 fans attending the Final, the crowd was the biggest ever for a rugby game, and in line with it being the best attended Women’s Rugby World Cup ever. The volunteering programme was groundbreaking too, with two-thirds of the roles filled by women and 23% under the age of 30.

The volunteering programme was supported by Allwyn’s Social Value Fund. Part of Allwyn’s commitment to operate The National Lottery in an environmentally and socially responsible way, the annual £1 million fund supports initiatives that create a positive legacy, enabling individuals and communities to thrive.

Andria Vidler, Chief Executive Officer of National Lottery operator, Allwyn, said: "We’ve seen that one of the most significant amplifiers of the impact of National Lottery funding is the voluntary sector. A key area of focus for us is supporting innovation and learning.

“That is why we were delighted that Allwyn’s Social Value Fund supported World Rugby in delivering a groundbreaking volunteer programme involving over 1,500 passionate individuals, many young people, first-time volunteers, and an impressively high proportion of women.

“These numbers redefined what it means to be a rugby volunteer and signal the power of the sport to engage and inspire a next generation of changemakers. We were delighted to have been able to bring volunteer representatives to the World Cup Final and give them the recognition and thanks they deserve on Twickenham’s iconic pitch. Together, we not only delivered a tournament, we delivered long-lasting impact in Sunderland."

Both Jo and Amanda were asked what message they would give to those who have never tried volunteering before.

Jo said, “Just go for it because it’s the best experience you’ll ever have. I had the opportunity to engage with amazing people, and it’s given me a confidence that I will take into my daily life. There are opportunities all over the place to volunteer in any type of thing that you want to do; it doesn’t have to be sport. This was my first experience volunteering, and what better place to start than in a big tournament like the Rugby World Cup.”

Amanda added, “Don’t hesitate to volunteer, and it doesn’t matter what role you do. I did Tournament Services, with a lot of the setup beforehand and the takedown afterwards. We saw a football stadium turn into an amazing rugby venue and back again. To have the privilege of being involved in that was a brilliant experience.”