Gee Griffiths

Background

About Gee Griffiths

I am long term sick after 7 years in the Prison Service. Whilst employed in the service i was a Wing Officer but also took on numerous voluntary roles, Staff care worker, Suicide and self harm staff trainer, bi lingual Hostage Negotiator ( Welsh - English ) Race relations officer, and as a Translator ( Welsh - English ) inside the prison security department. After leaving due to illness i fell into deep depression, and ended up writing a book about my time as a prison officer. Since leaving the Prison Service i have been a volunteer at Childline and with Victim Support, which as traumatic as these roles are i found very rewarding, and humbling.Back in 2018 I got back in touch with The Chester Romans American Football Club, where i have been volunteering since. I am the club General Manager, and founder of there Cadet Flag club. As a former player for the Romans it has become a passion for me to help expand and make The Romans into a club everyone talks about and wants to be a part of, but to also spread, increase and grow British American Football.Since the beginning of 2020 i have also been a volunteer at BAFA ( British American Football Association) our governing body in the UK. I am the Wheelchair American Football Commission Lead, and i am in charge of introducing this brand new Wheelchair sport to the UK. This role has a given me the opportunity to show my passion and dedication for the sport i love, and help fulfill a vision of making American Football fully inclusive. Through this journey i have developed my skills by creating a new set of rules for this discipline, increased my my knowledge by researching disabled sport. Through doing this i had challenges put in front of me i would of never known about, I have grown as a person, and expanded my mind to what i can achieve, whilst having the opportunity to make other peoples lives fuller and enriched by feeling the way i do about American Football.Recently I have been invited to join IFAF, The International Federation of American Football, where I am part of the rules committee, Involved in making the sport Inclusive Internationaly and part of a new development group, to help grow new and old disciplines of American Football.At 47 years old i thought i wouldn't feel like this about a job again, never mind one i do voluntarily, but who knows if im in luck this could be my path in life and a chance of a life fullfilling career, and i turn this passioninto a full time paid career.