Leeds residents invited to volunteer for Grand Départ: what residents need to know
By the beehiveweb.co.uk news desk
People in Leeds can now apply to volunteer at one of the biggest sporting events due to pass through the city: the 2027 Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Organisers are recruiting JOY Makers, the official volunteer team for the UK Grand Départs taking place in 2027. Applications are open to anyone aged 16 or over, and no previous volunteering experience is needed.
The registration window runs from Wednesday, May 27, 2026, until Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Volunteers will be trained before taking on public-facing and operational roles across the event programme.
Leeds volunteer applications now open
Leeds will host the start of stage one of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Grand Départ on July 30, 2027, when riders set off from the Headrow before heading through the city and towards Manchester.
The volunteer drive covers all three stages of the women’s Grand Départ, running from Leeds to Manchester on July 30, Manchester to Sheffield on July 31, and finishing in London on August 1.
A total of 9,000 volunteers are being sought across the UK programme, which also includes the men’s Tour de France Grand Départ earlier in July 2027.
Key dates for applicants
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Applications open | Wednesday, May 27, 2026 |
| Applications close | Tuesday, September 1, 2026 |
| Minimum age | 16 or over |
| Leeds stage date | Friday, July 30, 2027 |
| Experience needed | None required |
People accepted as JOY Makers will receive training before the event. Organisers say applications are welcome from regular volunteers, cycling fans and people completely new to major event volunteering.
What JOY Makers will do
Volunteer roles are expected to include event operations support and spectator engagement. That could mean helping visitors find their way, supporting event teams on the ground, and contributing to the smooth movement of crowds around key areas.
The JOY Makers name comes from JOY, the social impact programme attached to both 2027 Grand Départs. Its stated aims include connecting communities, improving health and wellbeing, and creating personal development opportunities around the races.
Volunteers aged 18 to 25 will also be eligible for the Readiness to Work scheme. That programme is due to offer employability skills training and career-focused mentoring across several sectors.
How to register interest
Residents should use the official JOY Makers registration process announced by organisers. Leeds-specific updates on how the race day will work will also be available through the dedicated Visit Leeds mailing list.
Full road details have not yet been published. Leeds City Council says information on temporary closures, traffic restrictions and affected roads will be announced later, with engagement for residents and businesses set to begin this summer.
The route through Leeds
The Leeds section will begin on the Headrow, with riders completing a partial loop of the city centre before travelling towards Headingley. The route is then expected to pass Headingley Stadium, move down to Kirkstall, continue towards Bramley, and head south via Gamble Hill and Farnley.
From there, the race will travel west to Drighlington before crossing into Kirklees and continuing over the Pennines towards Manchester.
Leeds has a strong recent history with the Tour de France. Around 230,000 people gathered in the city centre for the 2014 men’s Grand Départ, with about two million spectators lining the wider Yorkshire route. A report by Leeds City Council and UK Sport said that event boosted Yorkshire’s economy by more than £100 million.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said the volunteer call showed the Grand Départ would be “an occasion for the whole city to enjoy”.
British Cycling’s Tracy Power, who is leading the JOY programme, said the scheme would create “a core of engaged volunteers across Britain” and added: “Whether you have volunteered before, are a regular on a bike or are completely new to volunteering and the world of cycling, everyone is welcome as a JOY Maker.”
Source: Leeds City Council
Source check Source trail
This article is based on the Leeds City Council announcement and preserves the published dates, eligibility rules and route details.
- Confirmed the application window as May 27, 2026 to September 1, 2026.
- Checked that applications are open to people aged 16 or over with no previous volunteering...
- Matched the Leeds route references, including the Headrow, Headingley, Kirkstall, Bramley...
- Separated confirmed road information from details still due to be announced.
- Source
- Leeds City Council
- Scope
- Leeds
- Updated
- 2026-05-27 11:16
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