RLSS UK Ambassador for Wales, Douglas Thomas, has secured his role on the First Responder Team at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. We are looking forward to hearing how Douglas gets on this summer. Read more about his story so far...

---

"I applied for the Commonwealth Games at the start of June 2021. A whole year ago now - and it's been a brilliant journey!

"The Commonwealth Games Committee was looking for approximately 13,000 volunteers for the games and the Committee initially had 40,000 volunteer applications to sift through! 

"The application was a fairly long process - and took me a number of hours to complete. I was absolutely delighted to hear back at the start of September 2021 that I had been shortlisted for an interview in Birmingham, which took place last October 2021.

"I then heard nothing from the Commonwealth Games Committee for a number of months - but I did eventually get a letter at the end of February 2022 to state that I had been successful in my application, and I was to be appointed to work on the First Responder Team for the Games! 

"I am currently undergoing Games training online, and in-person in Birmingham. Our Commonwealth Games uniform is due to be delivered to my home at the end of June. I am so looking forward to receiving my tracksuit, I think it will then feel real for me! 

"I have been an RLSS UK lifeguard for nearly 34 years, and I have an extensive First Aid background. I have been an RLSS UK TA for over 40 years now - and currently hold the RLSS UK Ambassador role for Wales. I have been an RLSS UK Society member for the last 45 years! I, unfortunately, got involved in lifeguarding many years ago - due to my brother's tragic drowning at Falmouth Harbour in Cornwall. I have been on a long journey since then promoting the drowning prevention agenda at every opportunity I get in Wales."

---

Find out more about becoming a Trainer Assessor