What’s your job title and how long have you been at Loughborough?

I work within Loughborough Sport as Sports Volunteering Officer, aiming to provide high-quality volunteering experiences for students through the Coach and Volunteer Academy (CVA). I have been doing this role since September 2024.

Tell us what a typical day in your job looks like?

I feel very lucky that my days at work are varied and it’s rare that two days look the same! Normally, I am based in our office in the Students’ Union, working through emails, in meetings or organising different areas of the Coach and Volunteer Academy strands. Sometimes, I am out and about on campus, meeting colleagues or supporting events. For example, I have recently supported Talk Sport and the Loughborough Student Officiating Conference, two events that brought students together to develop their skills and interests. I love being active throughout the day, so you might see me in the gym or at a spin class over lunch!

What’s your favourite project you’ve worked on?

This would definitely be recruiting volunteers for BUCS Big Wednesday (BBW) last year. The CVA provided over 100 student volunteers to be part of BBW, and they all played a huge part in the success of the event. I recruited the volunteers through the CVA portal, helped to organise the volunteer training with BUCS and coordinated the shift allocation for students across the event. It was really rewarding to see students actively contributing to one of the biggest events in the University calendar and with myself being a huge sports fan, BBW was a great couple of days!

What is your proudest moment at Loughborough?

My proudest moment at Loughborough would be planning and attending the CVA Awards 2025. This event brought together students, staff and alumni to celebrate the 10 years of the CVA. It was great to celebrate the impact that volunteers make across the University and recognise their hard work, passion and dedication. The event was a reminder of why I enjoy this role and a key motivator to continue developing our student workforce.

Which University value do you most resonate with and why?

Creative is the value I resonate with most because it best reflects how I approach my work. I enjoy finding new ways to engage volunteers, solve problems and bring fresh ideas to our programmes.

Tell us something you do outside of work that we might not know about?

Outside of work, I referee women’s football across the Women’s Super League and Women’s Super League 2. I love the challenge of managing high-pressure situations, making quick decisions and working with my officiating colleagues to deliver a game. There’s a strong sense of community and professionalism in the women’s game, and it’s exciting to be on the pitch as the sport continues to grow. A lot of the skills I use within refereeing are transferable to my area of work and those skills help me within my role.

What is your favourite quote?

“Control the controllables”

If you would like to feature in ‘Five Minutes With’, or you work with someone who you think would be great to include, please email Martha Causier at m.causier@lboro.ac.uk.