Team England’s gold medal winning Netball captain from Gold Coast 2018 Ama Agbeze helped launch the ‘United by Birmingham 2022’ community programme yesterday.

The United by Birmingham 2022 programme is bringing together ambitious and innovative West Midlands based community projects that share a common purpose with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

To mark the launch, over 40 representatives from 12 local charities and social enterprises came together in Oozells Square, Brindley Place in Birmingham city centre to take part in a 5km United by Birmingham 2022 run. Which was led by Agbeze, who is an official ambassador for United by Birmingham 2022, 

“As a local person and proud ambassador for United by Birmingham 2022 I’ve loved being part of the launch and I am excited to spend time with the projects to learn more about what they do and unlock the ways that we can work together to achieve common goals as we prepare for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.” Agbeze said,

On the run, representatives from the founding 12 United by Birmingham 2022 projects joined Agbeze along Birmingham’s canals, carrying out a litter pick to ensure that the canal network is clean.  The 12 founding projects of United by Birmingham 2022 programme are: Goodgym, The Prince’s Trust, Canal & River Trust, EmployabilityUK, Sense, Jericho Foundation, Sport Birmingham, Acorns Children’s Hospice, Bringing Hope, Witton Lodge Community Association, World Against Single Use Plastic and Compass Support.

The United by Birmingham 2022 programme is now open for not-for-profit organisations to apply to. Projects will be awarded the United by Birmingham 2022 status if they can demonstrate how they share a common purpose with Birmingham 2022. The programme will enable projects that align with the ambitions of Birmingham 2022 to be recognised for the work they are doing and use the new community programme logo in their communications and at events to amplify their activity.