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

A Medal Maker’s Torch Day Diary – Janet Stevenson

It was an early start at 7.00am but the lecture hall in the Edward Herbert Building was a sea of pink as, in spite of the cold drizzle all 325 volunteers were wearing their pink T-shirts. 

MedalMakers

After briefing we set off to our various locations. David (my husband) and I were in Sector 15 which was the University Stadium. Quite a long walk on this vast campus but interesting to see how cord marking had been set up along the route to mark public access.  By Elvyn Richards Hall there were cleverly stacked straw bales for sitting and standing on. We saw some Chinese students standing on top and waving union jacks while being photographed by friends.  Should make interesting viewing back home!

Once in sight of the stadium volunteers were posted along the route.  The stadium was the venue for school parties and the children were in a high state of excitement eagerly accepting the university flags, band-sticks and leaflets which we were handing out.

Photobucket

The teachers, police and paramedics were all in good humour and the atmosphere was fun. The drizzle had stopped and the sun came out briefly.

StadiumfromFar

 We were given the job of ‘holding the gate’ so only those with wrist bands, official kit, such as the GB Volley Ball team, their coaches, the aspiring athletes and coaches, hoping for a place in Rio in 2016, and a list of official guests were allowed in. If guests didn’t have official ID we were to put a blue pen cross on their hands which caused some laughs.

The advance carnival parade came down the hill and into the stadium, past the flashing balloon flame and through the gate we were ‘guarding’, which gave us real close up views of their fantastic costumes.

CarnivalArrives

Then the real star of our section arrived, Audrey Cooper with her torch ready for its ‘kiss’. She is the coach for the Team GB’s Women’s volleyball team and comes from East Leake. The whole team had come in full kit to support her – and we had let them in!!

One of the Medal Makers volunteers had the exciting task of holding the ‘Torches Kiss Here’ banner and being right up close to the transfer of the flame. The flame runner for the previous stage came down the hill carried into the stadium by Johnathan Eley a winter Olympics speed skating world record holder to meet the array of cameras.

Audrey then started her run and proceeded out of our gate and down to Sir Denis Rooke building.

 Photobucket

We stayed to see the children leave safely, then made our way back up campus where a variety of other activities were getting underway.

We had a fantastic day and were sorry to leave at the end.

and yet another exciting visitor!

On Thursday 5th July some of the Medal Makers got a pleasant surprise when they were greeted by a visit from David Cameron, who was on campus as part of an official VIP visit.

Photobucket

He spoke powerfully about the social legacy that he wishes the Games to leave, with particular reference to inspiring a culture of volunteering.

Photobucket

David Cameron who was at Loughborough to deliver a speech highlighting the important economic and social benefits the Olympic and Paralympic Games will deliver across the United Kingdom.

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!

D2896-01

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

Medal Makers Receive Positive Feedback!

The Medal Makers team have received this piece of feedback from one of the sports managers –

‘Just wanted to say how helpful and friendly all the volunteers at the Netball centre appeared today…………. they (the volunteers) will play a key role in ensuring access is limited to the centre and players.’

 Photobucket

Indeed, all Medal Makers have been commended for their professional and friendly manner and willingness to stay the distance in order to get things done.

1st week of prep camp

At the end of the first week for Team GB Preparation Camps and what a week it has been. There have been a lot of last minute changes placed on the volunteers but all have ‘gone with the flow’ and risen to the challenge. All the volunteers have been so adaptable to these changes.

Photobucket

The BOA and other partners have been astounded by both the standard and commitment of Medal Makers and have asked that this be fed this back to all of the volunteers.
The first teams have also been training – the Women’s Basketball Team were the first team to start their training programme as part of the Preparation Camp.