By the Munisha editorial team
People in Leeds can now apply to volunteer when the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift begins its first ever British visit in the city.
The 2027 Grand Départ will start in Leeds on July 30, with organisers seeking volunteers aged 16 and over to support the event. No previous volunteering experience is required, and successful applicants will receive training before taking on roles across event operations and spectator support.
The volunteer team will be known as JOY Makers, reflecting the social impact programme linked to both the women’s and men’s 2027 Grand Départs in the UK.
Leeds volunteers can apply until September
Registration opened on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and is due to run until Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
| Detail | What residents need to know |
|---|---|
| Volunteer name | JOY Makers |
| Minimum age | 16 or over |
| Experience needed | None required |
| Registration window | May 27 to September 1, 2026 |
| Event date in Leeds | July 30, 2027 |
| First stage route | Leeds to Manchester |
Organisers are seeking 9,000 volunteers across the three stages of the Tour de France Femmes Grand Départ and the men’s Tour de France Grand Départ, which will also take place in the UK in 2027.
Roles will cover crowds, operations and event support
JOY Makers will be trained for a range of duties designed to help the event run smoothly. The source announcement names event operations support and spectator engagement among the roles available.
That could put volunteers close to the public-facing side of the race day, helping visitors understand where to go, supporting the event atmosphere and assisting with the practical flow of a major city-centre sporting event.
People aged 18 to 25 will also be eligible for the programme’s Readiness to Work scheme. That part of the JOY programme is set to include employability skills training and career-focused mentoring across multiple sectors.
The city-centre start will move through Headingley and Kirkstall
The Leeds stage is due to begin on the Headrow. Riders will complete a partial loop of the city centre before heading out towards Headingley.
The route will then pass Headingley Stadium, continue down to Kirkstall and move towards Bramley. From there, the race will travel south via Gamble Hill and Farnley before going west to Drighlington, then crossing into Kirklees and over the Pennines towards Manchester.
Full details of the roads affected have not yet been released. Leeds City Council said information on temporary closures and traffic restrictions will be announced in due course, with engagement for residents and businesses expected to begin this summer.
Why the Grand Départ matters for Leeds
Leeds previously hosted the start of the men’s Tour de France in 2014, when around 230,000 people gathered in the city centre and another two million spectators lined the wider Yorkshire route.
A report by Leeds City Council and UK Sport said the 2014 Grand Départ boosted Yorkshire’s economy by more than £100 million, with longer-term benefits expected through tourism, city profile and trade links.
The 2027 event gives Leeds another first: it will become the first place outside mainland Europe to host the start of stage one of a Grand Départ for both the men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
The women’s Grand Départ will run from Leeds to Manchester on July 30, Manchester to Sheffield on July 31, and finish in London on August 1.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said the event would be “an occasion for the whole city to enjoy” and added that local volunteers would help make Leeds proud on a day set to showcase the city.
Source: Leeds City Council
Source check Source trail
This article was written from the Leeds City Council announcement and checked against the stated dates, route details and volunteer eligibility.
- Confirmed the volunteer registration window as May 27 to September 1, 2026.
- Checked eligibility wording that applications are open to people aged 16 or over with no p...
- Verified the named Leeds route points from the Headrow through Headingley, Kirkstall, Bram...
- Separated confirmed traffic information from details still due to be announced.
- Source
- Leeds City Council
- Scope
- Leeds
- Updated
- 2026-05-27 11:19
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