That knowledge and information is shared matters because Hopkins is adamant that meaningful connections have been forged between people involved in different sections of Britain GAA. “The ABCs and the Northern Games have been a massive help in the sense that when people volunteer and are working at these all week, setting up, they get to know each other,” he explains.
“They build a working relationship. So, the whole country has come together. We’ve the Northern Games, the Hertfordshire Games, the ABCs, everyone just jumps in the car, if they can get down on a Wednesday to help, they will do. Even the Thursday or Friday.
“So, that is a massive reason why everyone is working together. Everyone knows that collectively we’ve to be on the same. It is something I speak about a lot. I join County Board meetings and youth meetings; we’re very hands on and supportive. We’re engaging.”
Ultimately, it means that there is real hope for a positive future. “We want to know what is happening, how we support our CDAs on the ground, see what the County Boards are doing, where they’re engaging,” Hopkins says. “It is all to help and support and to share ideas.
“I go around everywhere, I talk about the investment, the volunteerism, the direction we’ve to go. We’re having a lot of successes.
“I think we’ve 10 clubs with their underage structure, where we’ve got roughly 10,000 pounds each from the National Lottery. You’ve loads of things going on. Everyone has upped their game; everyone has a good feel factor about it.”
Britain GAA are always ready, willing, and able to forge links. Hopkins provides an example. “UA92 (education institution) has a big media department here in Manchester, just near United’s ground,” Hopkins says.
“Gary Neville and a few of the boys are involved, it is called UA 92 University, they’ve a big student media department. We used them for the Northern Games because these youngsters don’t get experience of events. How to organise and videography, so basically, they went out live doing interviews and our social media.
“The lecturers are delighted the students are getting hands on work experience, and we’re delighted we’re getting the videography and getting our message out on social media.”
A busy stint looms with various activities taking place, on and off the field, but Hopkins wouldn’t have it any other way. “We’ve a great team,” he says. “Everyone is talking every day. It is relentless. People say you’re busy, but I go, it is a nice busy. It is a lovely busy.” The hard work continues.