For two-time Commonwealth medallist Julia Quinn, the opportunity to get involved in a home Games on her doorstep was one she simply couldn’t turn down.

The former badminton star, 51, returned after Kuala Lumpur 1998 with a gold and bronze medal in the women’s team and singles events and now as a part of Team England’s badminton support staff, is involved in the Games once more.

Born in Solihull and based in Milton Keynes it is very much a home games for Quinn, and after coaching since 2006, she is delighted to get the recognition and experience the thrills of Commonwealth action right on her doorstep.

“I was really pleased when I got the call-up as it meant I was going to get to meet new people, learn new things and just get involved in the Commonwealth Games again which is great,” said Quinn, speaking at a Team England Futures Immersion Camp in Loughborough, where athletes and support staff had the chance to meet each other, visit Kitting Out and experience workshop sessions on topics such as working with the media, mental wellbeing and anti-doping.

“It’s really exciting, it’s just a really good opportunity and I think it’s a really great thing to get athletes and support staff involved and get a bit of an insight.

“It’s a home Games! It’s literally about 20 minutes from my home, so it’s brilliant and you get a bit more of a buzz because it’s at home.

“Normally when it’s away you don’t get to see that as much but with it being around the town you get a lot more about it earlier on, so yeah it’s really good.”

Quinn is part of the Team England Futures programme, which will see over 1,000 talented young athletes and aspiring support staff given the opportunity to attend the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, watch live sporting action and take a first-hand look behind-the-scenes

The programme seeks to better prepare athletes to deliver medal-winning performances as either Team England, Team GB or ParalympicsGB debutants at future Games, while also giving support staff a first-hand look at the opportunities they could be presented with, as well as challenges they may face, at a multi-sport competition.

Quinn has been Team England’s Pathway Coach at Badminton England for three years now, and hopes that one day she will be coaching at the Games herself.

She added: “Over the next couple of years I just want to try and help some of the athletes I’m working with go on and obviously compete in a Commonwealth Games and eventually an Olympic Games - ultimately I want to try to help players achieve their goals.

“I obviously want to see athletes hopefully go on to perform at their very best this summer and hopefully achieve.

“Then hopefully I can be there myself in the future as a coach, that’s something that I’d really like to do.”