Get Inspired: Be part of the #BigHelpOut for sports clubs

Volunteers play an essential part in grassroots sport. Without them, local clubs simply couldn't survive.

That's why, in the lead up to BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Get Inspired and Join In, the London 2012 legacy charity for sport volunteering, have teamed up to launch the #BigHelpOut.

Coaches and cheerleaders, guide runners and groundskeepers, referees and Rugby World Cup volunteers - these and thousands more keep sport thriving.

And you can be a part of it too.

What is the #BigHelpOut?

In 2014, Get Inspired and Join In created the #BigThankYou - the biggest thank you to sports volunteers the UK had ever seen. It even trended worldwide on Twitter!

This year we want to take it a step further and find 10,000 helpers for local sport.

In the lead up to BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2015, we're going to promote and support local sports clubs all over the UK. But we won't be doing it alone.

Comedian and Join In patron Eddie Izzard and multiple Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson will be among those getting involved and asking people to sign up and help out at their local sports clubs.

How can I be part of the #BigHelpOut?

Sign up to volunteer on the Join In website - it's that easy.

If you already know the sports club or group that you want to help, use the #BigHelpOut hashtag to tweet them.

Which ever way you decide to participate, you will be counted as part of the #BigHelpOut.

Should I volunteer?

If you feel inspired by the #BigHelpOut campaign and wonder whether you have the time or knowledge for local sport volunteering, then good news - you do!

You can give a couple of hours whenever you're needed or commit to regular sessions. You can be a keen first-timer or experienced helper. You can bring specialist skills or just muck in.

If a regular commitment doesn't work for you, maybe you would like to volunteer at a large sporting event. These events rely on hundreds of people like you who give up their time and skills.

In the next few months, the UK hosts the British Athletics Championships, the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships, the Rugby World Cup, the IPC Swimming World Championships, the Ashes, and many more besides.

People who volunteer in sport have higher self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and resilience than those who don't volunteer, according to Join In's Hidden Diamonds research. They are also more likely to feel proud of themselves, to believe what they do is important, and are less likely to worry.

Take a look at the Get Inspired guide to getting into volunteering for more information on how to get started.

Let's all pitch in for the #BigHelpOut!