The hard work of two York Community volunteers at the Women’s Rugby World Cup was celebrated in front of a record Twickenham crowd at the recent World Cup Final match between England and Canada.

Henry Simpson-Lucas and Matthew Short were respectively Match Management and Venue Management volunteers at the York 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.

Henry and Matthew were two of 14 volunteers chosen to represent the 1,500 volunteers who worked on the five-week tournament across eight venues in 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.

Henry Simpson-Lucas (back row second right) and Matthew Short (back row, far right) are presented to the Twickenham crowd.

placeholder image — Henry Simpson-Lucas (back row second right) and Matthew Short (back row, far right) are presented to the Twickenham crowd.

Explaining his motivation for volunteering at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Henry Simpson-Lucas, said: “The reason I got involved in volunteering at the World Cup was that I do a lot of work with my local rugby club in terms of the day-to-day management and running of it. I was involved with the local council, bringing the World Cup to York, and planning meetings. I thought if I can do it on a small scale, why not give it a go on a bigger scale.

“The highlight of the World Cup for me was after the South Africa game, the players were all back in the changing rooms and I was sitting on the bench. The stadium had emptied, and the South African coach came and sat next to me, and we just had a 20-minute chat about rugby. The down-to-earth, genuine nature of everyone involved in the tournament is something that I have not experienced before, and it really made me enjoy doing it.”

Matthew Short added that for him it was a rewarding experience: “Volunteering is something that I am passionate about. Being able to volunteer and give something back to volunteering has been incredible. It’s one of those things that people don’t necessarily see, but there are 1,500 volunteers, and we are one team, one family. You are putting on an experience for everyone.

“It was also fantastic to be able learn more about volunteering. I took a lot away from it, I learned a lot from people that have been through events across the world. Those are things I can transfer into my own job now, whether it’s time management or attention to detail that is important on an event like this.”

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 York."

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

Matthew said, “Seize any opportunity that you can get to volunteer. You will learn from your peers and those around you, and they will learn from you. It might feel like something that is a little daunting when you first do it, but I promise you’ll enjoy it.

Henry added, “One hundred percent you should volunteer. If you are involved with your local rugby club or sports team, give it a go. A tournament like this is the same, but on a bigger scale and better. If you’re not involved with your local sports club, do it; it will make you want to get more involved in your local community.”