The 22nd Commonwealth Games, being hosted at a price of £778 Million; the majority of which has come from the currently forced open purses of Her Majesty's Treasury, will see Birmingham and the wider region be showcased, on a level we could all only dreamed of several years ago.

6500 athletes who will compete - from the 71 Commonwealth Member nations who will grace our shores in 630 days time, will allow for our 5.7 Million population to further see the richness which binds 2 Billion people together - through in this case the power of 19 sports on our shores and the special Archery and Shooting Championships, in India's District of Chandigarh 6 months beforehand.

In knowing that the games, wants to be the most inclusive and accesible in history, it is only welcome that Birmingham 2022 will have the highest number of Female and Para-Sport medals being chased, with 135 Medal events being for Women and 133 for Men, whilst 8 Para-Sports is the largest number of disablilty sports that there will be.

With more than 20% of the whole region (not just the WM Conurbation) being non White British, equalling just under 1 Million as of the 2011 UK Cencus, our depth of diversity and bonds that are therefore shared, makes Birmingham and the West Midlands perfectly placed, to reflect the decency and courage - of the culture we all live within.

The economic advantages are surely among the biggest in the region's history too, with the transformation of the Alexander Stadium for during and after the games, along with a new state of the art Aquatics Facility in Sandwell and the former Smithfields Market's involvement in the games kickstarting it's long awaited regeneration.

Also the usage of much outstanding infrastructure in the NEC, ICC, Arena Birmingham, Edgbaston, the University of Birmingham, the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, the Area of Outstnading Natural Beauty of Cannock Chase, Sutton Park in Sutton Coldfield, Victoria Park in Leamington Spa, the Lee Valley Velodrome at the Olympic Park and hopefully the Roads of The Black Country - if the bid for the Cycling Road race hits the jackpot, demonstrates such strength the region has ready to ultilise!

1 Billion people are due to tune in, sponsorship deals have been strengthened considerably by the Commonwealth Games Federation and no doubt, hotels, hostals and places to stay are expected to be at complete capacity, during much of 2022 as a result of the event, across Birmingham and the region.

Tourism will be a huge key, in unlocking the economic rebuild from COVID-19 and the possibility that the games will bring will be one of the biggest boosts a multitude of industries and ensuring locals access a unique and once in a generation opportunity.

With how prepared WM is - both with facilities, finances and diversity, the burst of joy has spread across my body; ever since March 13th 2017's bid announcement and has given me a massive urge to play a part. 

And in feeling incredibly luckily: I very much am!

Since joining the West Midlands Young Combined Authority last September, every time Birmingham 2022 is mentioned fills ourselves with glee, knowing that we are the youngest population in Europe and this will be the most awesome chance imagineable, to show with brightness, talent and expertise on the global stage. 

Knowing the YCA has had a commitment, to a partnership of some kind with the games, will most definately enable a youth voice to enhance proceedings. And having been at a presentation and consultation session on the Cultural Programme - at The Beatfreeks Collective on January 22nd and on a visit to the game's HQ on February 1st - through the TfWM Youth Forum, clearly shows such a relationship has brilliantly (pre-lockdown) sprung into life.

Just last week, I also became a member of the Games Accessibility Advisory Group, within my role as a member of the West Midlands Trains Midlands Stakeholder Equality Group (Midlands SEG), which will enable disabled people as individuals and organisations, to work collabroatively with the organising committee to ensure that the games are and will be the most accessible and inclusive in history.

This has thus far been splendid from a personal view, but I love seeking opportunities that enables a bigger impact to be made and through one job application made on June 12th, along with an interview on July 14th: one has a pretty cool and major announcement to end this piece on.

I can only feel delighted, thrilled and truly humbled, that my 1st postgraduate job will that of BIRMINGHAM 2022'S CEREMONIES, CULTURE AND QUEENS BATON RELAY TEAM ADMINISTRATOR!  I have today recieved the offer for the post - beginning in Mid August and I will now do the formalities as needed, to get everything in place.

Knowing that the process of reviewing the applications took almost a month - due to the numbers who applied and the interview being my first sit down and individual interview since April 2015: all within my to date only application I've made whilst job hunting, makes me truly satisfied at securing the post and stepping up personal engagement for the games.

In one small and direct message, to the person I happened to most recently date, between February 16th and December 9th 2019 - your constantly negative words and out of order phrases, most demoralisingly including "If you return to the West Midlands, YOU WILL SERIOUSLY STRUGGLE!" (as referred to in my blog unvealing Speaking Out on July 17th): may you forever regret at such constant hatred, knowing that such doubts about opportunities and my engagement in things, have certainly been brought down like a brick wall!

The next 2 years, will see a West Midlands be sprung into life - as a result of an event which impact will be felt for a generation. And in playing a soon to be bigger role, I will forever think the region, the nation and the world, will discover it's meaning: in more ways than just 11 days of competiting for glory!