So after the disaster of last week’s computer malfunction, I have managed to successfully write this week’s blog. It’s taken me longer than normal to write this one as I made a point of repeatedly pressing save after each paragraph to ensure I had no disasters like last week!
Last weekend I made a very special trip to one of the places I love most in the world – the Olympic Stadium in London. I had a pair of tickets for the Anniversary Games and with my running buddy Clare we had a fantastic day watching world class athletics in the stadium which even today gives me goose bumps!
I love this place as it reminds me of a time in my life which I personally feel will never be repeated in my life time – a time I could represent my country and be part of something truly unique – a home Olympics and Paralympic Games. I love my country and I am very proud to be British. On the day that London was awarded the Games, back on the 6th July 2005, I remember sitting in my office at work and hearing it on the radio. I am not ashamed to admit it that I cried! I knew that I had to be a part of it and that evening I went home and started to research how I could be involved and become a volunteer.
It was a long process!
Five years later, on the 14th September 2010 I received the email to say that from 8am on the 15th September I could apply to become one of the London 2012 Games Maker volunteers. I submitted my application on the day it opened!
Then I had another long wait.
Finally on the 25th May 2011, over 8 months after making my initial application I received an email to say I had been shortlisted and was to attend an interview for the Accreditation Team. After a bit of research, I found out that the accreditation team were responsible for registering, processing and confirming eligibility and handing out the access ID passess for all of the people who would require access to the Games. This could be anyone from the athletes themselves to press, venue staff, volunteers, caters, security, the list was huge!
On 28 June 2011, I attended my interview at the University of Warwick. This was my first experience of what London 2012 would feel like and it didn’t disappoint! I remember speaking to a lovely lady and asked her what she was being interviewed for. It turned out she was one of the interviewers for the archery. She was an ex-Olympic archer and was also going to be one of the judges for London 2012! She was very lovely and my only regret was not remembering her name! I had my interview and then I had another wait to find out if I had been selected.
Just over three months had passed and then on the 7th October, the email I had been waiting for had arrived:
I had been offered a place on the accreditation team working at Heathrow Airport. I was slightly disappointed at first as my initial reaction was how was I going to feel part of the Games if I was some 20+ miles away from it stuck in an airport! However this emotion passed very quickly as it soon hit home that my dream of being part of the Olympics and Paralympics Games was starting to happen. 2012 couldn’t come quick enough!
On the 4th February 2012, my Games Maker journey started. I attended an event at Wembley Arena which did the initial scene setting of what London 2012 would be like. The event was hosted by Jonathan Edwards and there were various interviews with key personal involved in London 2012 who all highlighted the importance of volunteers at the Games. It really did get everyone excited about what was going to happen. After this I then had to attend two role specific training days on the 15th March and 3rd May. These trainings were specific to my accreditation role and went into more depth about what we would be doing. One of our key roles was checking details in the London 2012 database against the ID presented to us by person (normally their passport). We had a talk on passports by the Chief Immigration Officer on how to spot forged documents. I found this slightly terrifying thinking that it would be me who would accept the forged passport and then my mind went into melt down about what would happen! I did have to remind myself that I wasn’t border control and that between little old me on the accreditation desk, there was a team of immigration experts at the border! Phew!
On the 23rd June I attended my last training day and this was actually at Heathrow Airport. This training was to teach us about Heathrow, show us where we would be working, and how we accessed our desks. Many of the accreditation desks were airside which meant we all had to be security cleared to enter the restricted part of the airport. Prior to attending this day I had to go through a whole heap of security clearance as you would imagine, I had to undertake an on-line training about airport procedures, health and safety but eventually I got my clearance and on the 23rd June I got my airside badge which allowed me to take up the role of Accreditation Team Member at Heathrow.
I could kick myself now for being initially disappointed at being selected to work at Heathrow. This turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. I was able to see the behind scenes workings of one of the largest airports in the world, which was a privilege. We were essentially treated like staff for the duration of our time at the airport. Everyone at Heathrow made us feel welcome. I have a whole new respect for staff working airside though as they are subjected to the same searches and restrictions a holiday maker has and they cannot take things through airside – including liquids and all the usual stuff. Even the paramedic’s bike had to go through the scanner! After making the mistake of wearing a bra with underwire and then having to be searched (in front of everyone!) I made a point of wearing sports bras after that and no metal at all. When I returned back to work it was lovely to be able to wear a necklace again!
I started my first shift as a London 2012 Games Maker on the 28th June 2012, working at Terminal 5. From June through to September I worked solidly either at the Games or my actual job in research and development. I drove up and down the M40 at least 12 times in the space of two months! My poor little Peugeot 206 has never recovered! I covered both the Olympics and Paralympic Games and here is a copy of my actual rota (with my scribbles on!):
It was truly a magical time being part of London 2012. My fellow games makers were awesome. I will never forget George who I worked with on Terminal 3, who took great delight in shouting out “here come the virgins” every time a Virgin Atlantic crew came past the desk! I also got to meet a number of different people who were involved in the Games whom our paths would have never crossed had I not become a Games Maker. The list as you can imagine is large but this is a short list of some of the people who I remember:
- Accredited Henry Kissinger (google him peeps!), his wife and two grandchildren.
- Accredited David Howman, Director General World Anti Doping Agency
- Accredited Finance Director from ABC News (USA)
- Accredited countless other press, camera operators from many countries and our very own BBC peeps!
- Accredited some of the Rio Olympic Games Organising Team:
- Accredited numerous athletes including the Italian Rowing Team (a personal favourite!), Mexican swimming team, South Korean Olympic team, Russian Olympic team:
- Met Kirsty Coventry (swimmer), Ashton Eaton (Decathlon Olympic Champion 2012), Epke Zonderland (High Bar Olympic Champion 2012), plus many others
- Prince of Orange Willem Alexander of the Netherlands (now King) walked past our accreditation desk and gave us a little wave after landing at Heathrow (it explained the heavy police presence by us!).
London 2012 inspired the nation. I was dabbling with running prior to the Games. From meeting all the incredible people, hearing their stories, I knew I had to continue doing something associated with the Games after it ended. Running for me was part of this legacy. I cannot imagine my life without a pair of trainers in it now.
I end this rather long blog posting with a note of thanks to a very special person. None of my Games Maker journey would have been possible without my brother Paul – he was truly a Games Maker Maker (as he likes to call himself!). I would not have been able to afford to have done all the shifts I did for London 2012 had he not allowed me to pretty much crash at his house for the entire summer! He allowed me to live my dream and represent my country and for this I will always be grateful.
Run, Brummie Liz, Run! 