Our Story

How We Started

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The All Nations event was founded in 2005, just before London was awarded the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  Inspired by the Olympic ideals of sport, culture, and education, it was created to celebrate these values while fostering community and cultural togetherness—qualities that are so vibrant in London. Now in its 21st year, the event continues to champion peaceful competition in a friendly, fun environment.

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The journey began with a modest £1,000 grant from the volunteer charity TimeBank and a tight three-month deadline to make it happen. I reached out to friends, family, and London volleyball players, rallying support for this ambitious new venture.  There were sceptics, plenty of doubts, and comments calling the idea unrealistic and a waste of time.  But I was determined.

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Did I know exactly what I was doing? No.

Did I ever believe it wouldn’t succeed? Absolutely not.

Was it smooth sailing? Not at all—but the early challenges taught us valuable lessons.

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In the second year (2006), as we reflected on the photos, we realised the event lacked cohesion—participants wore mismatched, non-uniform shirts. Determined to improve, we secured sponsorship from Decathlon in 2007 and provided matching white shirts for everyone. It seemed like a great idea at the time, but looking back, the sea of identical white shirts lacked vibrancy.  By 2008, we introduced colourful shirts, again with Decathlon’s support, adding a new layer of energy and visual appeal to the event.

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These early years were filled with trial and error, but they set the foundation for what All Nations has become today—a celebration of unity, diversity, and the joy of coming together.

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