Games Shapers to Get Uniforms and Golden Tickets Ahead of GC2018

The excitement levels of Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) Games Shapers are on the rise with just 70 days until the Games commence.

Today, the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Corporation (GOLDOC) opened the Uniform and Accreditation Centre (UAC) at Burleigh with 15,000 volunteers set to start collecting their uniforms from next week.

If being the heart and soul of the Games isn’t enough for this group, they will be among the first in the world to see the Opening Ceremony with exclusive invites to two dress rehearsals to thank them for their commitment to the Games.

As a special thank you to these volunteers, Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones today announced the "Games Shapers" would be among the first in the world to see the Opening Ceremony with each set to be gifted exclusive invitations to two dress rehearsals of the event.

"So we can be sure we’re prepared to kick off the biggest sporting event in Queensland’s history, GOLDOC will run two dress rehearsal events at Carrara Stadium, on March 31 and April 2," she said.

GOLDOC Chairman, Peter Beattie AC said the Games volunteer program is the largest of its size ever undertaken in Queensland.

"Invitations will be issued today asking volunteers to book into a session to collect their bright, bold and beautiful Hard Yakka designed uniforms," Mr Beattie said.

"Opening this venue is another milestone ahead of the Games and everyone who visits the UAC will appreciate the scale of the task at hand.

"For many, getting the uniform is a Games highlight and we’d ask volunteers to book their time in as soon as possible to help our team of 50 volunteers and staff onsite work through the logistics of the operation.

"We have over 200,000 pieces of uniform kit to be allocated along with accreditation which will get our Games Shapers onto free public transport and into venues during GC2018 so they can help deliver a great Games for athletes, officials and spectators.

"In total our 15,000 volunteers will complete 130,000 shifts which equates to around one million hours of services and to be frank, they are the heart and soul of the Games, and this event couldn’t be held without them."

GOLDOC Chief Executive Officer, Mark Peters said the UAC is the first Games venue, outside of the Games HQ, to become operational.

"Around 50,000 people including volunteers, staff and contractors will visit the site ahead of the Games," Mr Peters said.

"The volunteer program has been a massive undertaking. We started with 47,000 applications, interviewed 21,000 people with 15,000 offered accepted.

"A number of rosters have been issued to volunteers and for some the online training and role specific training has commenced.

"For all our volunteers it is important to remember that everyone’s journey to the Games is different so if a friend has started training it probably means yours will kick off soon."

Notes for Editors

- Invites will be sent to Games Shapers from today (24 January) with session bookings to be made via the Games Portal.

- Volunteers must bring the identification (licence/passport) provided in their original application.

- Further details regarding the operational elements of the Opening Ceremony dress rehearsals will be disclosed closer to the event.

GC2018 Volunteers by the numbers

- GC2018 runs from 4-15 April 2018

- More than 47,000 applications received

- 21,000 applicants interviewed

- Around 15,000 volunteer offers accepted

- 18 competition venues from Cairns to Coolangatta

- 24 volunteer venues including the Commonwealth Games Village and Games Family Hotel

- 360,000 hours of volunteer training by TAFE Queensland

- 150,000 meals for volunteers

- 18 sports plus seven integrated para-sports

- One million volunteer hours required

- Over 50 medical facilities across Games venues

- 84,000 medical volunteer hours

- Over 200,000 pieces of individual clothing

- Uniforms provided by Hard Yakka

- More than 1,500 medical volunteers

- 11 days of competition

- Up to 1.2 million spectators

- 6,600 athletes and team officials

- 70 nations and territories will compete in the Games

- Promote the Gold Coast to a 1.5 billion cumulative global TV audience

- 1,000 hours of sport

ENDS

For more information, please email media@goldoc.com or contact:

Cobey Moore: +61 447 109 772

Communication and Media Lead

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC)

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