The Olympic Volunteers

[16bha]

Went to Eton Dorney today for the Canoe Sprint (although felt like Budapest with the number of Hungarian fans). What a fantastic set up, park and ride seamless, didn't stop to queue at any point, but the key thing hat made it a great day were the volunteers.

From the point of parking the car and getting on a bus, it was a barrage of great service from staff. Constant good mornings, smiles, helpful attitudes, then security and the soldiers. These guys were fantastic, chatting to my 5 year old girl, making sure they wrent intimidated by the high levels of security, ensuring everyone felt welcomed, armed police were all smiles and 'high fives' with kids.

I have to say I did not see a single volunteer or staff member look like they weren't having a great time. Fantastic customer service that was a great highlight to the occasion.

This is what the foreign tourists will remember about GB! (as well as the sport). Good effort all round.

Whats everyone's experiences like?

 

[Barn Door Billy]

They are fine, but there are far too many of them. There seems to be a person with a megaphone every 10metres. They do a good job though.

 

[Lovecake]

They are fine, but there are far too many of them. There seems to be a person with a megaphone every 10metres. They do a good job though.

Too true. Megaphones been given out willy nilly. Endless morons trying to be funny non stop

 

[Billy in Bristol]

Went to Eton Dorney today for the Canoe Sprint (although felt like Budapest with the number of Hungarian fans). What a fantastic set up, park and ride seamless, didn't stop to queue at any point, but the key thing hat made it a great day were the volunteers.

From the point of parking the car and getting on a bus, it was a barrage of great service from staff. Constant good mornings, smiles, helpful attitudes, then security and the soldiers. These guys were fantastic, chatting to my 5 year old girl, making sure they wrent intimidated by the high levels of security, ensuring everyone felt welcomed, armed police were all smiles and 'high fives' with kids.

I have to say I did not see a single volunteer or staff member look like they weren't having a great time. Fantastic customer service that was a great highlight to the occasion.

This is what the foreign tourists will remember about GB! (as well as the sport). Good effort all round.

Whats everyone's experiences like?

Been in and around London for ten days of The Olympics, cannot agree more with this...though I am sure London will get grumpy again soon enough!

 

[TheJasperCo]

I was at Weymouth on Sunday for the Sailing, and the organisation and facilities were brilliant. Couldn't really fault anything: security was swift yet thorough and uninvasive; volunteers were always on hand to answer any questions we might have. Atmosphere in general was fantastic, and the food was very tasty and came in decent portions (still a little overpriced, but you can't expect anything different). All in all a great day out, especially as the weather was fine and sunny. Only downside were the trains on the way to & from the venue. Absolutely packed!

 

[Djmiles]

Went to Excel last Saturday, and no word of a lie, there were at least 30 volunteers with giant foam hands pointing which direction to go, even though there was only ONE way to go....

Always smiling, and the ones I had came across were lovely. I wouldn't expect anything less though. You wouldn't go and volunteer unless you really wanted to be there, so they're bound to be enjoying it!

 

[Pickledegg]

I have been lucky enough to work at one of the venues and I agree, the volunteers have been fantastic! What you have to realise is the travel some of these guys are doing, yet they still keep smiling! Some are taking two hours to get to the venues each day! Yes travel is paid for but 4 hours travelling is some sacrifice!

I guess the reason you are seeing large numbers of volunteers throughout the games is to allow for drop outs along the way?! I personally could not think of anything worse than giving up 3 weeks of my life for nothing, so fair play to them!! And remember, these guys mostly don't get to see the sport! They may be sat in lifts, manning doors, waving foam hands etc!

To conclude, without the volunteers the games would have been f***ed!

Forgot to mention the Military! They have been fantastic as always! But then, sadly, we come to expect that!!

 

[GreersElbow]

I was sceptical of our image when we drafted in the military. From what I've read around the web, they've done a superb job of ensuring people are safe, going to the right places and providing a friendly atmosphere.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

We have been to Rowing, Athletics, Boxing and The Woman's Marathon, and I can quite safely say that every single one of the 'gamesmakers' has been superb.

Friendly, helpful, polite and all with a smile on their faces. Yes, there are lots of them, but surely that's better than not having enough.

As for the Military, they are a credit to our Country - but we knew that anyway (The Army did ALL the security at the Rowing and the Marathon, with G4S atthe Excel and the Athletics)

 

[Simster]

If the worst you can say is that there are too many of them, then that is a massive success. I have to say, they impressed me. Yes, some of them were trying too hard to be funny, but it was hardly an issue.

 

[SK1NT]

I think everything about the Olympics has been a total success. The volunteers at the football and Olympic park were fantastic. They were chatty, smiling, helpful.

This Olympics has really given GB a hell of a lot to be proud of

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Of course they're smiling. They're getting paid to hang around the world's greatest sporting event (which they applied to do). What could they possibly have to be miserable about?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Of course they're smiling. They're getting paid to hang around the world's greatest sporting event (which they applied to do). What could they possibly have to be miserable about?

I'm not sure you completely grasp the concept of 'volunteers' Ma'am.


(yes, I know there are SOME paid GamesMakers)

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

They're getting paid

No they aren't.

 

[Hillian1]

Of course they're smiling. They're getting paid to hang around the world's greatest sporting event (which they applied to do). What could they possibly have to be miserable about?

Really?

A friend of mine's wife has been a volunteer for the past 2 weeks, time she took of as holiday from her job to do it, gets home knackered very late and hasn't been paid a thing, or so she says.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Really?

A friend of mine's wife has been a volunteer for the past 2 weeks, time she took of as holiday from her job to do it, gets home knackered very late and hasn't been paid a thing, or so she says.

My secretary, has been working as a volunteer at the Aquatics centre. Holiday from work. Not paid. No accomodation, or anything - just doing it to be involved.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Of course they're smiling. They're getting paid to hang around the world's greatest sporting event (which they applied to do). What could they possibly have to be miserable about?

Of course, your view might be prejudiced by the actions of one particular Gamesmaker, who is in a paid position, and has seemingly spent two weeks having his photo taken with fit foreign birds....

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Sorry. There are a lot of volunteers, of course, but there are also thousands of paid employees of the games (the slightly cringesomely named "Gamesmakers"), who I seem to recall are on a pro rata rate of about £25k for their efforts over the past few weeks.

Just because someone is sat there in a games uniform doesn't mean they're a volunteer. And those who did volunteer, presumably did so because they wanted to be part of it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying its not nice that they're smiling at people, just that...frankly...why on earth WOULDN'T they? It seems like a fun exercise to me.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Sorry. There are a lot of volunteers, of course, but there are also thousands of paid employees of the games (the slightly cringesomely named "Gamesmakers"), .

The volunteers are Gamesmakers, too.

 

[Deleted member 18477]

I have been lucky enough to work at one of the venues and I agree, the volunteers have been fantastic! What you have to realise is the travel some of these guys are doing, yet they still keep smiling! Some are taking two hours to get to the venues each day! Yes travel is paid for but 4 hours travelling is some sacrifice!

I guess the reason you are seeing large numbers of volunteers throughout the games is to allow for drop outs along the way?! I personally could not think of anything worse than giving up 3 weeks of my life for nothing, so fair play to them!! And remember, these guys mostly don't get to see the sport! They may be sat in lifts, manning doors, waving foam hands etc!

To conclude, without the volunteers the games would have been f***ed!

Forgot to mention the Military! They have been fantastic as always! But then, sadly, we come to expect that!!

My mate who's a volunteer got to see the opening ceremony and the 100m men's final...