The Mural outside the Beckwith Clubhouse Taking shape!

The Mural outside the Beckwith Clunhouse is taking shape!

The participatory arts project was aimed at young people and getting them to make a permanent mark commemorating the impact that the olympics have had on the University. Representatives from Charnwood Arts came and drew out the outline of the mural and children of all ages from nursery age to those old enough to know better joined in!

Nursery age Children

Children taking part in the participatory arts project

School age children

Big Kids taking part too!

 the finished article!

the finished mural

Diary of a Medal Maker – Alexandra Barker

When I started at Loughborough University working on the Medal Makers programme I knew I was starting something special and momentous but little did I know exactly what was in store!

Walking around campus with the rest of the team and seeing all the first class sporting facilities really brought it home to me exactly where I was working. Loughborough University, to me, is synonymous with sport and I couldn’t think of a better place to work!

The first couple of months flew by in a flurry of policy and strategy writing and the start of the recruitment phase. The Preparation Camp was due to open on 18th June and we needed our volunteers in place to start on that date!

The first task for us to undertake was to organise some volunteers to take part in the dress rehearsal of the Olympic Torch Relay! I was lucky enough to be nominated also and had the chance to run with the official Olympic Torch.

Alex Barker with the Olympic Torch!

By May we had recruited most of the volunteers and we held the first of five briefing/training sessions, neatly timed for the start of the Olympic Torch Relay, carried for the first time by Ben Ainslie (one of my sporting greats).With tears in my eyes I welcomed the first batch of volunteers and thanked them for coming.

Once the volunteers were briefed and we only had 4 weeks to do our final preparations it was all hands on deck to get people into roles and locations ready for day one…..and somehow we managed it!

Day one of Preparation Camp brought its own challenges with more volunteers needed for certain roles and less for others. It was a juggling act all the way through with the need for volunteers changing on a regular basis but all roles were filled and no job was left undone.

The 3rd July was another great day as that was the day that the official Olympic Torch Relay came through campus, again!  This time I was able to enjoy the spectacle as the torch passed by and I saw the torch ‘kiss’ outside the Sir Denis Rooke Building. The Relay was preceded by a fun and colourful carnival marking the relay as it passed through the East Midlands.

That week proved to be pretty special as not only did we have the Olympic Torch, but I was lucky enough to meet Princess Anne, Sir Steve Redgrave and to be present at David Cameron’s address regarding legacy.

The Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games marked another key event for the Medal Makers with a party and the opening of the Beckwith Clubhouse. The Medal Makers and I had worked really hard to turn a lecture theatre into an inviting clubhouse for people to kick back, relax and watch the Games.

The clubhouse proved to be a massive success with a full house on many an occasion. Staff and volunteers watched and cheered for Team GB as they won most of their 65 medals.

On the 6th August Preparation Camp finished. The Team GB branding was all taken down and their presence here on campus became a memory….or did it?

Work had already started to commemorate the Olympics in the form of a participatory arts project outside the Sports Development Centre building to serve as a permanent reminder of the impact that the Olympics has had on Loughborough University and its staff, students and volunteers.

I know that my Olympic odyssey was truly over when we held the final thank you and farewell party for the Medal Makers on 15th August. With genuine tears of joy and sadness I made my goodbyes to my new friends and vowed to meet them all again on our next volunteering adventure.

I have truly loved my time here at Loughborough. Through the many highs and lows that I have worked through I have learnt that I am resilient and tough and can face adversity face on. I am cheerful and diligent and work with tenacity to achieve great things. I will miss the people that I have met along the way and thank each and everyone of them.

#InspireAGeneration

Our friendly policeman – Mark Friskell

Mark - our friendly policeman!

Mark Friskel is a Police Officer who was assigned to the Official Preparations Camp Headquarters for Team GB at Loughborough University from mid-January onwards.

He provided a vital link between the University and Charnwood Borough Council, Leicestershire Constabulary and Leicestershire County Council. He ensured that all the different strategic plans for the Olympic Torch Relay linked and worked together perfectly.

From the start it was clear that there was a lot to do!

The Olympic Torch Relay through Leicestershire comprised two events: the dress rehearsal on the 20th April and the real thing on the 3rd June.

Being involved in the dress rehearsal was exciting as Leicestershire showed people what was involved and how it would look. The whole nation, plus LOCOG, Team GB, the BOA and the IOC were watching us to ensure it all went according to plan.

In addition to the logistics of the torch relay, the traffic controlling measures had to be meticulous as many major routes were affected.

The feedback from the day was very positive with the staffing from the Medal Makers volunteers absolutely spot on!

Now to planning the real thing! The emphasis here was to shape the plans and bring it all together.

We needed to brief as many volunteers as we could and The Medal Makers team helped to set up those briefing sessions. Without those the volunteers may not have known what was expected of them.

One of the highlights of Mark’s work on campus was playing the video of the previous days’ footage of the Olympic Torch Relay on the morning of the 3rd July. Seeing everyone’s faces in the ‘sea of pink’ light up as they realized exactly what they were involved in was inspiring.

They even gave a round of applause in appreciation of the day ahead.

In addition to the volunteers and visitors to campus, local school children filled the Holywell Stadium and the cheering in there was deafening…it certainly helped build the air of excitement and anticipation.

All in all an estimated 9,000 people were on site watching the Olympic Torch go through Loughborough University’s campus.

‘I’ve had a fantastic time on campus working with all the different organization and the Medal Makers volunteers I am proud to have played a key part in the torch relay. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. And now I’m back in reality with the day job with the community engagement team!’

The Torch Illuminates Loughborough

The Torch coming to Loughborough will go down in the university’s history books. The campus was filled with members of staff, locals, school children and volunteers, as well as prominent guests such as David Hemery, awaiting the torch bearers’ arrival, and came through the campus to view the ‘Torch Kiss’.

David Wheeler’s Torch Day Experience:
Volunteers were adorned with bright pink t-shirts and the campus felt like a festival, with a celebratory buzz reverberating around the University Stadium. To complement this excitement, the stadium burst into colour with the carnival featuring larger than life costumes and parades. David Wheeler states how ‘spirits were raised further by the spectacularly colourful carnival procession ahead of the torch bearers. I was pleased to be able to guide others to the best viewing positions’.

Members of the development and alumni services staff, Richard and Alan, were also extremely impressed with the carnival, as it brought all members of the university together as a community. It symbolised the excitement and celebratory atmosphere brought by the Olympics.

Prominent guests included David Hemery, and David Wheeler enthuses how great it was ‘to hear Hemery’s Olympic experiences in conversation with Jonathan Agnew. Was success due to teamwork or individual excellence? Probably both!’

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Helping Hands:
This level of camaraderie between volunteers is inspirational. Even the security sniffer dogs were getting involved in the action, raising morale. Pictured is one of the dogs proudly donning an “I was there!” T-shirt, adding extra cuteness to the sea of pink.

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The Torch Relay was a magnificent event that will go down in history and remain in people’s memories. As one volunteer, Emily Rabone aptly said, “I think it gave people the opportunity to feel they had some connection with the Olympics, especially for those who couldn’t get involved elsewhere in either volunteering or getting tickets to the events.”

Having something to celebrate with such vigour where an entire community can get involved is an illuminating experience.  “It was great to see so many happy faces”, said Emily, doing their bit and getting involved with British Olympic history.

Voices of the University

The Medal Makers interviewed seven volunteers who are also permanent university staff and students.  Their close and professional relationship with the university has shed some interesting light on how Preparation Camp is viewed by those who will remain at Loughborough after the Olympics has finished.

We found they actually shared many similar opinions and thoughts. For example:

    • They found the Medal Makers were helpful, especially when the Torch was here.
    • Preparation Camp is a positive experience for the university thanks to having so much media exposure.
    • Loughborough has been put on the map nationally and internationally.
    • They felt safer after the enhanced security.
    • Many are looking forward to seeing how the work that’s been done here on campus will contribute to Loughborough’s Olympic legacy.

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Extra security arriving in Loughborough for the Torch Relay (but there’s always time for a photo with the local school children!)

 

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The torch getting Paparazzi-style media attention on campus!

Our interviewees ranged from students, to administrative staff, to security, and each had their share of diverse opinions:

  • Those who worked in the Developmental and Alumni Gift Processing felt Preparation Camp is beneficial for the university’s local, national and international reputation.
  • Admin staff thought Preparation Camp would be a fascinating talking point with the locals, who were coming to appreciate the university more by understanding what went on in campus.
  • They felt a definite buzz on campus.
  • The students also noticed that a lot of the facilities on campus have been upgraded in the last few years in preparation for the athletes, and this will be a great legacy for the University’.
  • The students were able to take their Security certificates to the Union and apply for paid work, which was a big bonus for them. 
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Victoria and Ben, student volunteers, at the Security Scanner

The Medal Makers are happy to hear how Preparation Camp has become a pivotal milestone in the university’s history. It is also really encouraging to hear how the Loughborough Legacy will continue on at a national level, but has also already benefitted the people directly affected by what the university has to offer, and will continue to do so for those to come!

The Olympic Torch Relay

The Olympic Torch Relay came through Loughborough University campus on Tuesday 3rd July supported by Medal Makers volunteers.

The event could not have proceeded as smoothly as it did without the Medal Makers’ help and support and so a huge thank you to all of the volunteers!

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The event was covered in the local and national news and the sea of pink T-shirts featured heavily in that coverage