Thank You, Birmingham 2022!

Blog Layout

Thank You, Birmingham 2022!

Kashmire Hawker • 30 September 2022

My Once-In-A-Lifetime Role at a Games that changed Brum and WM ends today.

And I am forever grateful!

07:00AM BST, FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30TH 2022 - WOLVERHAMPTON, WEST MIDLANDS, UNITED KINGDOM

Publishing this blog post fills me with real emotion, pride, and the most profound sense of gratitude, that 767 of the most memorable days of my life employed by The Birmingham Organising Committee for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Limited today concludes alongside the closure of the programme for the Birmingham 2022 Festival.

When I formally received the job offer for Administrator – Ceremonies, Culture and Queen's Baton Relay on July 29th, 2020, I knew I would be both throwing myself into the unknown and giving myself an opportunity of a lifetime. This was undoubtedly knowing I would play a behind-the-scenes role as part of the biggest Cultural, Economic, and Sporting event ever held in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

The task of being one of many humbled helpers to organise "The Games For Everyone" - in my first Full-Time job after graduation defined daunting for a then 22-year-old, but from opening my laptop for the first time on August 24^th, 2020, and had a great chat with the division's masterminds in Martin Green CBE and Phil Batty, the foundations were laid for me to do my thing, learn a vast amount and grow both professionally and personally.

And it's safe to say that after:

Two Lockdowns;
Hundreds of people engaged with in a off-the-scale number of events;
A fascinating and wild rollercoaster of an Apprenticeship;
11 days of crazy sport;
A meeting with a Prince;
One Parliamentary Visit, A changing of US President, UK Prime Minister, and Head of the Commonwealth in less than two years;
One speech in front of 1,300 people at Symphony Hall;
And helping to spend millions of pounds later, to name a few things:

Made the challenge, as stated above, the most worthwhile thing imaginable.

The team across the Ceremonies, Culture, and Queen's Baton Relay Division, alongside the excellent partners at Birmingham Ceremonies Limited, Outdoor Digital Productions and Progress Productions, to name a few, are among the most outstanding people I have ever worked with and undoubtedly ever met. The talent that the Games managed to bring under one roof enhanced the experience and has given me friends for life.

Also, calling the team at Festival 2022 Limited – widely known as UNBOXED colleagues and mates feels really special. No matter what the wider public thinks about UNBOXED, I have witnessed the creation of a year full of simply magical projects, which has seen collaboration on a mind-blowing scale. The whole team has a fantastic job (not least in the Media Spotlight), and I certainly intend to visit Weston-Super-Mare before See Monster concludes its time at The Tropicana Lido.

Also, I hugely appreciate all those part of the Games' groundbreaking Accessibility Advisory Forum, Chair by a queen in all things Accessibility in Brummie, Sarah Rennie, and the Access team here at B2022. The AAF achieved a tremendous amount over a short period. Seeing it unfold as someone directly invited to the Forum before my appointment at the Games and then as a Staff Member was a significant highlight of my work. I use that power we created to ensure accessibility is forever on the agenda.

And of course – my team who have helped pull together what is now THE BIGGEST EVER Cultural Programme alongside a Commonwealth Games: I don't think I can fully describe how much I thank you for both welcoming this once Cultural Virgin into your world and giving me a platform to be part of something extraordinary. I adore and love you wholeheartedly and feel beyond grateful to have worked in the most incredible gang of humans and for the support and encouragement you've given, not least during my darkest hour of mourning Kieran earlier this year.

I want to state a huge thanks and congratulations to everyone else I've worked, engaged with, and met through the OC and Games Partners; not least the Senior Leadership Team led by B2022's masterful CEO Ian Reid, my fellow Level 3 Business Administration Apprentices, of whom are some of this region's best and brightest emerging talent and the whole team at FABRIC, who helped to mastermind the glorious and game-changing programme of Critical Mass as well all on the project's Steering and Partnership Groups. All of you are geniuses!

As for me and my future, I am delighted to say that I am on track to secure a new and exciting Admin role here in the West Midlands.

Interviews are booked in the coming weeks at a significant WM-based Cultural Organisation involved in the B2022 Festival and at a Major regional Educational Institution that also played a spectacular role in the Games. I'll leave you to guess who they are!

In closing this life-defining chapter, to know I came into such a role aged 22 and wondered how awesome it would be, I go out of it having transformed as a human, had my eyes open to what positivity humanity can bring and ultimately fulfill a dream come true.

2022 will forever be remembered, and to the whole team at the XIII Commonwealth Games of Victoria 2026: I give you my big luck and love, and I am sure you will create many more stories like mine through the world-beating power of Culture and Sport combined!

< Older Post Newer Post >

Happy New Year! 2024 Review Part 2 and 2025 Look Ahead

by Kashmire Hawker • 31 December 2024

A Very Happy New Year! A few more Reflections on 2024 and a 2025 Preview

Season's Greetings and some 2024 Reflections

by Kashmire Hawker • 23 December 2024

As 2024 comes toward an end, I can say that this year for me has been one of change, one of further development and one of opening my eyes in many ways. In typing this reflection, I feel immensely satisfied and proud to have made this year my first in a full-time job without a fixed end date, in an organisation of the West Midlands Combined Authority, which has plenty of opportunities for me to consider in the coming months and years and working within in an outstanding team. I also feel hugely delighted at continuing to give my time in voluntary service, not least through Parkrun, Silverstone and in the perhaps once in a generation Champions League Final at Wembley in the Summer, as well as raise £405, in two events of the Great Birmingham Run of £130 for Cure Leukemia and £275 at the Molineux Sleepout for Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation and The Good Shepherd. On top, to have again sought office to serve my home city for a fourth year running and garnered 1,656 votes (even if not a winning total!), as well as contributed to successful wider political campaigning for my party’s and substantially expanded on my engagement in them gave me a privilege and deeper fire in the belly than ever before, in giving back to Wulfrunians. Finally, many more runs, seeing Taylor Swift, Kaiser Chiefs and The Darkness in concert, plus a sublime Musical about the pop heroes in Steps, marching at two Pride events, continuing engagement with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Solutions for the Planet and Changing Our Lives and completing a fantastic personal development programme on getting younger folk as Trustees in Arts and Cultural organisations, have all formed part of another busy 12 months. Naturally however, losing an Election and your best furry friend in my house’s dog Harley, alongside needing to help move my Mum to a safer place, all in the space of 7 weeks stung greatly in May and June. The death of a beloved dog and family member and Mum’s house move were not easy financially to deal with, but I managed it as has been the case with previous years. This year has also meant some greatly more honest and blunt conversations, which have burnt a few bridges with once seen trustworthy allies and pals. Being straight and upfront however is sometimes the best course and I don’t regret that for one moment, not least when the mind is burdened enough with day-to-day activity. Those things have definitely made me really realised that the world is a big and lonely place, and that sense of loneliness continues to affect my thoughts. This no doubt feels true and always will do at Christmas, with December 25th being the anniversary of Kieran’s passing in 2021 aged just 25 and I frankly will never know how to truly feel on the day itself. Knowing he is not here to share Christmas lunch will always put a size 9 boot dent in my heart. Having said that, I have good people around me and I give my wholehearted thanks to all for your continued support and good wishes, at what will forever be a sensitive and mournful point of the year, in my family’s life. In whatever way which you and your family mark this festive and new year period, I hope it is as enjoyable and peaceful as it possibly can be and that it gives a chance to rest and be with those closest to you, as well as embrace it being the season of giving, whether gifts or love. A further blog post, or two, on reflecting 2024 and looking ahead to 2025 shall come before the clock hits midnight next Wednesday.

Co-operative Party Youth Network Election 2024 - Candidate Statement

by Kashmire Hawker • 16 December 2024

The Co-operative Party has been a natural home for me for towards five years and gives me a brilliant platform to shout about and run on critical issues. As Chair of the Walsall, Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire, Branch and as a Labour and Co-operative candidate in Local Elections in my home City of Wolverhampton since 2021, I’m proud to make an impact and with the party’s immense expansion over the years, I would be honoured to play a bigger part. And as someone with experience in Youth Representation – most recently with the West Midlands Young Combined Authority and Labour Party wise as the current Policy and Political Education Officer for the Wolverhampton West CLP, I feel ready to use that skill set to the full. Thus, if Elected as a Youth Committee Member, I will: Help to establish a WM Young Co-operative Youth Network spread right across my region, which is not just stuck within the Metropolitan centre; Work with Labour groups across my region, for them to Elect a Co-operative Rep on to their committee s; Engage with our friends In Trade Unions, Fabians Society and The Labour Party to run joint events; whether campaigning, educational or socially; Work with colleagues to ensure events are accessible as possible, not least for Neurodiverse people ; Join Young Co-operators up and down the nation in campaignin g; And be Accountable and Transparent in my work as per the Nolan Principles, so fellow Members can question me at any moment . We have a wonderful opportunity to shape the Party’s future and with a Labour and Co-operative Government now in place, it would be a huge privilege for myself to play a part. Please vote Kashmire Hawker for Youth Committee. Thank You!