The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have finally arrived!

On your marks, get set…go! The moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games officially begin with an opening ceremony extravaganza tonight at 8pm. Tune in to BBC 1 to watch all the Brum-based festivities.

Queen’s Baton Relay – on campus!

You may have seen that we welcomed a very special event on campus yesterday, the Queen’s Baton Relay. The Baton toured right across campus showcasing the best sights to see, as well as showcasing the incredible Baton Bearers who were chosen from a national competition. Some of our own students have also been Bearers throughout the relay and you can find out all about their incredible work here.

Commonwealth competitions

As one of the major sponsors of the Games, we’re proud that our campus is going to be centre stage for the world of sport over the next two weeks. You may remember that we recently ran a competition in our Brum Bulletin newsletter asking what two sports we’re hosting on campus. It’s, of course, hockey and squash. Our lucky winners have now been sent their special prize; an exclusive Perry toy complete with graduation robes.

Thank you to those of you who also took part in our Share the Chair giveaway, we loved seeing your fantastic photos on our giant deckchairs! One lucky winner has been chosen at random and will be watching the Women’s Hockey Group Match on Tuesday 2 August – right here on campus! Congratulations to all our competition and giveaway winners. Keep an eye out for more prizes in the Brum Bulletin newsletter from October.

Food outlets during the Games

From now until Sunday 14 August, campus catering outlets will be open at slightly different times from usual, making sure food can continue to be served to students, staff, and visitors. You can find all of the food outlets in this handy guide to help you decide where you may like to buy food and drink during the Games.

Please be aware that, with over 20,000 spectators expected on campus each day for hockey and squash alone, food and drink outlets might be much busier than usual this summer. If you would like to have a quieter lunch experience away from the Games, we suggest visiting these locations, all of which can be found on our campus map.

• Fellows Coffee Shop at the Bramall
• Fellows Coffee Shop at the Library
• Starbucks in Muirhead Tower
• Winterbourne House

Police presence on campus

For those of you on campus (whether you’re studying or attending the Games) you may notice an increased police presence over the coming weeks. Don’t worry, this is because we’re hosting police forces from across the country in local accommodation and we’re catering for the sports teams right here on campus. You can find out more about the work the police are doing to support the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games by visiting the West Midlands Police website.

Campus access and travel

Finally, remember to check out our Commonwealth Games information pages for students. Everything you need to know, including campus access and surrounding roads and areas, can be found there. Remember that if you do need to travel to campus, the best way is by public transport. If you’re travelling by train, have your student ID ready as you will be able to bypass queues for trains towards University from Birmingham New Street. This is a fantastically exciting and busy time for our community, so make sure you know the best ways to get in and around campus during the next fortnight.

Bring on the Games!