Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has today unveiled the uniform that thousands of volunteers and staff members will be wearing at the Games, as well as the technical officials uniform and formal delegate outfits.
The uniforms will be worn by over 14,000 people from across the West Midlands and wider regions, who make up the ‘Commonwealth Collective’, a community of passionate and dedicated people who will play a vital role in delivering the biggest multi-sport event in the UK since London 2012. The Commonwealth Collective will be a visible presence in the city and across the wider region for the million spectators who will visit the area.
A number of students from the city have worked with Birmingham 2022 to inspire the uniform design, which has been shaped by Birmingham’s architecture and rich cultural heritage.
Using a vibrant orange colour, the uniform reflects the curves of Birmingham’s Grand Central and Selfridges buildings and features wave patterns and interconnecting lines to mimic the well-known traffic interchange ‘Spaghetti Junction’. The waves also symbolise the iconic waterways which run throughout the city.
The design on the uniform’s polo shirt features geometric shapes mirroring the iconic design of the Library of Birmingham as well as diamonds to represent the infamous Jewellery Quarter.
The uniforms have been produced by workwear company, Incorporatewear Ltd, who has taken steps to ensure the production process is as sustainable as possible. Any excess material that is left will be made into sports bibs for local schools and clubs, forming part of the Games’ legacy.
Over 41,000 people applied for volunteer roles including drivers, first aiders, meet and greeters, venue preppers, kit carriers and everything in between to help the Games run smoothly. Volunteers were selected earlier this year and will receive approximately 250,000 hours of training and complete one million hours of volunteer time.
“From the moment Incorporatewear was first awarded this prestigious contract, we have been working closely with Birmingham 2022 to design and produce a uniform that will visually unite the Games workforce and incorporate the look and the vision of the Games.”
