Athletes celebration parade

So we celebrated, celebrated, celebrated, and what a day long celebration is was!

With a mixture of sadness and excitement I made my way to London Town via Nottingham in my uniform for the very last time.  I could sense the same excitement building up again that I had experienced during Games time! 

I arrived into London Town for 11.00am and headed straight to The Mall.  It was great to see some many Games Makers around, making their way to The Mall.  I hooked up with a group of random Games Makers and we all headed off together.  Feeling proud and over the moon at being in the capital again!  Once we arrived outside the designated entrance we queued patiently.



Doing what we do best......

As the gates opened we made our way to The Mall, what a vantage point I got, right at the front baby!  Our section soon became full of the Games Maker family and it was fantastic.  We all stood around exchanging stories about the Games, we we've been doing since finishing our shifts, got involved in a Mexican wave (a few times) and asked the Police to take some pics.  They where more than obliging and loved joining in on the fun.  It was once again an Olympic carnival atmosphere!  We could all feel the excitement building up, waiting for the final chapter in our Olympic journey to begin.

Spot the Games Maker lol!

Then the parade began.  Float after float after float of athletes, showing off their medals, we clapped, we cheered, and some cried as the parade made it's was down The Mall.  What an amazing spectacle it was.  It was a fantastic opportunity to get up and close and thank the athletes for an absolutely amazing Summer of games.  They all beamed with pride, showing off their medals and waving and clapping as they went by!  Each and everyone of the athletes acknowledged us Games Makers and thanked us all for our work during the Games.  It was an incredible feeling, especially as the majority of floats carried thank you messages for the Games Makers!  The whole Mall exploded as the parade moved along.

I made it happen!

As the parade ended it was time for several thank you speeches and a special fly pass by The Red Arrows.  What a fitting tribute to an awesome day of celebrations!


Awesome display!

As the parade ended we made our way to a rendezvous point where a group of Games Makers where going to meet for a bite to eat, before we all departed for the last time on our final journeys home!  As we made our way out of The Mall we spotted some of the Team GB athletes coming out of The Mall and managed to stop by the roadside to take some more pics.  Lucky we did, as quite a few athletes followed, all walking back down the side of The Mall.  Managed to take advantage of the situation and took some great shots of the athletes and their medals!

Go Team GB!

As we made our way to our final meeting place the restaurant was full of Games Makers.  The atmosphere was amazing, Games Makers all over the place!  It was great to meet up with volunteers who I'd not seen since the Olympics and I even met some for the first time at our last meeting, ironic!

I didn't stay for long, as I had to make my way back to train station for my train home.  I made my way around and chatted briefly to as many Games Makers as possible, stopped for the occasional pic.  Soon it was time to leave and say my final goodbyes.  It was a sad time, the last time we'd all be together, in our Uniforms, in London Town, amongst such great friends and in such a wonderful atmosphere :(

Some of the Aquatics Games Makers!

A great team, great friends, a fantastic day and then we departed our separate ways to head home. 

On my final leg home waiting for the East Midlands Mainline train to Nottingham, 6 other Games Makers caught the same train home as me.  I was not alone, a nice way to end an amazing day!

A selection of images from the day can be seen here.

#thankyougamesmakers

It's the day before the Mayor of London's Olympic and Paralympic parade.  Thousands of Games Makers will be converging together for the final time - this is going to be absolutely awesome! Many will be arriving into London Town today and I can not wait to catch-up with friends again and soak up the Games atmosphere for the very last time.

A couple of great links, which I just had to share with you all:

• A special message for the London 2012 Games Makers from some of the Olympic and Paralympic spectators who have valued the work you've done this Summer - take a bow Games Makers, we deserve it!!! Here is the awesome link.

• Eddie Izzard jumps on the back of messages from athletes who want to say thank you to the London 2012 volunteers - Games Makers and London Ambassadors. Spread the word and get all the volunteers wearing their uniform with pride for one big day of celebration on Monday 10 September.  Listen to his message here

Hope you all enjoy watching the closing ceremony and athletes parade tomorrow.

Remember people - #thankyougamesmakers!!!

I've got a golden ticket!

Need I say more.........

We’re delighted to let you know that you have been successful in the ballot for a place to watch the 10 September Athletes’ Parade in the special, reserved standing areas around the Mall.

The parade is being organised by the Mayor’s Office, the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association, and will be a fantastic celebration of the Games that you have worked so hard to deliver.

To claim your place, you will need to RSVP to an email from 'Athletes Parade' / info@paralympics.org.uk which you will receive in the next couple of days.

Please look out for this email and RSVP to it immediately.

You will then be sent further instructions about what to bring, where to go and what to expect on the day. If you have any questions about your ticket to the parade.

Olympic fever has returned......

So the opening ceremony for the paras kicked off in great style and as a result Olympic fever has returned!  It was great to see such a contrast between the 2 opening ceremonies, both very different and both amazing to watch.

The amazing paralympic logo

I've received my email to enter the draw for the victory parade for the Olympics, taking place on the 10th September, which I've entered, so fingers crossed I am selected and can take part.  If I am unsuccessful then I am will be lining the route with fellow volunteers anyway, so for me, it's a win win situation!  So looking forward to going back to London Town again on the 10th and meeting up with some great friends.  I've missed the hustle and bustle, volunteers and Olympic atmosphere of London Town since returning from the games.

Quite a few volunteers I've kept in touch with are now back again volunteering at the paras.  I'm envious that I didn't get the opportunity again but the pressure of work and lack of leave prevented me from going.  I'll have to settle for watching the sport on the TV this time, rather than actually being there.  Although it does seem rather surreal to see the sport in the Aquatics Centre, especially as I was based there during the Olympics.  Proof below that I was there, not that anyone needs reminding of the fact! 

The amazing Aquatics Centre, with the whale like roof!

I am amazed and now know why the athletes taking part are called 'super humans!'  I recently watched team GB play Germany at basketball and they game was amazing.  Extremely aggressive, very physical and great to watch.  It's unbelievable how these athletes are able to perform so well and don't allow their disability to hinder them in any way!  If spectators are not inspired to get of their backsides and do something after watching them, then I don't know what else will motivate them.

Looking forward to watching the remainder of the paras, especially some new and interesting sports!  Also keeping my fingers crossed that I am successful and can take part in the victory parade on the 10th, watch this space!

Priceless memorabilia

Been back for just over a week now and still finding it hard adjusting to normality.  I thought going back to work would help but the first day back yesterday was hard.  Driving to work just does not compare to walking along Stratford Bridge and onto the Olympic Park!  I guess as time goes by it will become easier.

I've managed to sort through my goodies from the Olympics and decided to frame a few of them.  I'd rather see them everyday, then have them archived away where nobody can see them.  The kids have been so excited at the sight of all my stuff that I enlisted their help to frame the goodies!  Check out their results below, a pretty awesome attempt:

Well they are now all displayed proudly in my home, so I can show family and friends when they visit!

My thoughts are already turning to what I can do next.  Been thinking about the Winter Games, Russia or the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow in 2014.  I will endeavour to apply for the next Olympics in Rio in 2016 for defo - fingers crossed I am successful.  Could do with a nice holiday in Brazil!

Volunteers Games Maker goodies!

Trying to sort through my mammoth collection of items I've seemed to have collated over the last three weeks but cannot sum up the energy to do anything.  Think I have Games fever!!!  I want to go back to the Olympic Park and meet up with fellow volunteer Games Makers again, missing them and the hussle and bussle of Olympic life!



The best ticketing team ever!


Whilst working as a volunteer and checking in for a shift I was given limited edition pin badges to help me along the way through my shifts.  After every couple of shifts I was awarded a pin badge, until I had the full collection of Gold, Silver, Bronze and multi-coloured pin badges.  This was a great idea, helped with motivation and also an incentive to complete my shifts, not that I needed one! 



Awarded to me for my shift work!

 Once I had completed my final shift I received a few more surprises for all my gallant efforts as a volunteer. 



My final pin badge - thank you Jacques!




Great certificate!

 The best gift of all, baton for all volunteer Games Makers.  This is an absolute awesome present and will be displayed proudly.

Adios, auf wiedersehen, au revoir for now!

So the 30th Olympiad had finally come to an end.  From the winning bid to years of prep, months and weeks of training, I've completed my final shift, arrived home, saddened that the Olympic bubble that I have been living in has finally burst, but all good things must come to an inevitable end!

I've met some realy truly amazing volunteer Games Makers, seen spectators from all over the world and still can not believe I helped to host the greatest show on earth.  What a show it was!  Team GB securing more gold medals than we ever thought was possible, what a party the opening and closing ceremonies where!  So so many memories, so many smiles, great experiences, many many favourite and special moments, which will live with me forever.  Feeling rather down now and missing the day to day activity of the Olympic Park I am finding it hard to complete this blog entry!

As a way to compensate, my thoughts are already turning towards my next adventure - maybe the Glasgow commonwealth games in 2014, perhaps Sochi Winter games in 2014 or even Rio in 2016 - decisions, decisions!!!

Friendships are born on the field of athletic strife and are the real gold of competition. Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust.

We will never forget the smiles, the kindness and the support of the wonderful volunteers (Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee)

Volunteer Games Makers army rules!

It's hard to believe its my final night in London Town, as tomorrow will be my last shift on the Olympic Park.  Saddened at the thought of leaving the Olympic bubble that I've been living in over the last two and half weeks!  What's making it even worse is that I have made some great friendships with a fantastic bunch of volunteer Games Makers.  We laughed, some cried, our feet ached, so did our legs but ultimately we made the best of this amazing situation!  Not only have I met volunteers from all over the UK, but from many European countries as well.  I've forged some great friendships, already taken contact details as there is talk of a reunion next Summer!

The publicity in the press and media has been overwhelming, it has helped motivate the volunteers more than ever.  I never expected that such a huge bunch of volunteers would make a great impact on the spectator experience!  Some links below, highlighting just how great we have been:

• Games Makers will deserve a pat on the back and a good rest
• London 2012 volunteers make the Games
• Olympic volunteers are earning the 'Games Makers' title
• London Olympics: How volunteers made the Games

We certainly have made the games exceptional, hosted the world and exceeded all expectations.  My Games Maker family will be missed greatly :(  A couple of pics below, which just captures the whole essence of some of the crazy but wonderful volunteers that I've had the pleasure to work with!

A megaphone, scanner & the police

Wow, unbelievable, just over half way through my Olympic shifts!  We had been told at training that time would be pass quick but did not realise just how fast.  I am living and breathing in an Olympic bubble and don't want this fantastic experience to end so soon!

I've spent the last couple of shifts validating and scanning tickets, helping with ticket resolution and finally got to a go on a megaphone (no wise cracks please)!  The megaphone was an experience, I had to prevent the build-up of queues of spectators and help deal with bottle necks.  Well, spectators are like sheep, like to follow and don't listen.  To be honest, they are so excited at being present at the Olympics, they tend to wonder all over and are oblivious to what's going on around them!  Even though I was quite clear and vocal with my instructions via the megaphone, I might as well have been talking to myself.  By the end of this shift I was more than ready to hand the megaphone back - never again!

Ticketing is great, I get to meet not only all the excited spectators, from all over the  world, prior to going into the venue, but get to work with a great bunch of volunteers as well.  I've been meeting some really excited and keen volunteers, with whom I have been sharing this immense experience with and will remain in touch afterwards.  Met, for a very brief moment, as he scurried on by, Sir Steve Redgrave on this shift.  Unfortunately because he was in a hurry I didn't get the opportunity to take a pic!



The calm before the storm

Scanning wars!!!

A mass exodus (egress) after the swimming!

Pin badges, this is not familiar territory but apparently it's very popular at every Olympic games.  Keen enthusiast's collect pin badges from all over the world, from different Olympics they have attended, and then gather at Olympic games time to swop these badges.  I was amazed at how many spectators are involved in this hobby and the vast variety of badges that are available.  Volunteers have too been receiving Games maker pin badges every now and then when we check-in for our shifts.  To date I have a multi-coloured, bronze and silver one and I guess, as some point, I will be receiving my gold badge!  It's great that we are receiving these freebies, to help keep the spirits and motivational levels of volunteers up - every little bit helps!

My limited edition pin badges!

The armed forces, police and other security teams have had a great presence at the Olympic games.  They are constantly in high spirits, just like us volunteers, and join in the carnival games atmosphere that is present around London Town!  This, by far, is one of my favourite pictures to date.

Strike a pose!

What an Olympic first week!

Day off today, time to relax (finally), reflect and take in what has happened during this fantastic week.  So much has happened, seen so many sites, met millions of people, amazing venues, great experiences, awesome memories, which will be with me for the rest of my life!  I am exhausted thinking about it.

Day one was amazing, busy working with a great bunch of volunteers.  All of us mega excited to be part of such a momentous occasion.  Spent the day checking accreditation for press, media and Olympic family.  Great to meet such a variety of people, from all over the world.  Managed to sneak inside to take a pic or two, especially when Becky was swimming for the qualifiers!  The atmosphere was electric, the entire venue exploded with cheering, shouting, clapping and support for Becky.  She did us proud, qualified and was awarded a bronze medal for all her hard work.  Big congrats to Becky, well done!!!


Inside the amazing whale shaped Aquatics Centre

Spent the next couple of days validating tickets, scanning tickets and assisting with ticket resolution.  It's surprising how many spectators arrived at the wrong venue, for the wrong session and some managed to turn up without their ticket.  I guess they are over excited by the sense of the occasion and who can blame them.  You'd think after spending hundreds of pounds on tickets spectators would be more prepared! 

Managed to spot a celeb or two, Sharron Davies, Gary Lineker, David Cameron, the French President and DJ Chris Evans to name a few. The best part of this day was seeing all the spectators, many dressed from head to toe in their country colours and costumes, with their respective flags of support.  Some fantastic wigs, entire Team GB suits, leggings, dresses, t-shirts, you name it, the spectators where wearing it!  Amazing face paints, awesome traditional dress and many many more colourful sites!

My first day off was spent back on the Olympic Park, this time in the magnificent Copper Box.  Watched Team GB play Handball against Sweden.  A great opportunity for me to see another venue and experience a different part of the massive Olympic Park.  An interesting Olympic sport, took some getting used to and I could tell from the off that this was not something the Team GB would excel at, Sweden beat us by a slight margin, 42-19!  It was obvious that Sweden where on a different level, the players where taller, faster and played tactically - much better.  The entire album from the game can be viewed here.



Team GB, arriving into a packed venue ahead of the Handball!

The next shift involved working inside the Aquatics seating bowl.  This mainly comprised of showing spectators to the relevant block and seat.  This was an interesting position to work in and was extremely stressful at times.  Queues soon built up, especially prior to the start of competitions.  I had to ensure that main stairwells kept clear and spectators did not stand and/or block the accessible seating viewing area.  I managed to take a pic for my collection of some of the volunteer team that I worked with on this shift, what a great bunch they are!



Team Aquatics - woohoo!

Thursday was a fantastic day, with a much needed family visit to the Olympic Park!  Not that I needed anymore of a boost, but it's always a welcome treat to meet up with loved ones! Spent the afternoon having a stroll around the Park, soaking up the atmosphere and showing the family around my 'home'!  It was quite surreal finally seeing them on the Park, where I had been training and working for so long!  The entire family was just as amazed at the size of the Park, structures and venues.  We walked as much as we could, but it was difficult to get around the entire park without the kids getting tired.  Spent a fortune in the London 2012 Mega Store, but we are only going to be here once so what the heck!  The album from the family visit can be seen via my Facebook page here.  Here is my favourite picture from the day!



The Chaudry's at the Olympic Park


The final day from week one had arrived so quick!  It was hard to believe after all this build up I was half way through this great experience.  Met up with a friend from work, again, like the family meet, it was surreal to meet people you know from your 'proper' job in this amazing environment.  Only had five minutes or so for a quick catch-up, as I was waiting to be deployed to my post for the final shift of the week.

To sum up, I am a little saddened but also amazed just how quick the week as flown by.  The experience and atmosphere is out of this world, unreal, nothing like I have ever experienced before in my life.  Meeting people from all over the world, all the different cultures, has by far been the best part of the whole experience to date.  Hope Team GB continue to rise up the medal table and keep the pressure up!  Looking forward to seeing what the week ahead will bring for both all the competing athletes and for my final week as an Olympic volunteer.

Olympic shifts underway and celeb spotting!

After all these months of training, waiting, travelling to and fro from London Town I've finally started working at the greatest show on earth!  And what a first couple of days its been.  Worked 19 hours over the last 2 days, exhausted.com but the excitement, adrenaline and celeb spotting had made it all more bearable. 

Day 1 - up and out travelling to the Olympic Park at 5.00am.  Jumped on the tube and noticed half a dozen other volunteers also on the tube, quite surreal, this early and we dominated the train!  Arrived at Stratford International and wow, masses and masses of volunteers everywhere, scurrying towards the Olympic Park.  Could already sense the excitement and we all made our way to the security check!

    

It's off to work we go!

Once all the back of house tasks had been completed, all staff deployed, it was time to let the waiting public in! 

The calm before the mega army of people!

I had to take the obligatory pic!

Wow, in masses they certainly came, all full of excitement, with flags, banners, costumes, snapping pics, what a carnival like atmosphere. It was amazing, this is what we'd been led to expect, but you don't really appreciate the atmosphere until you are in the thick of it.

Spectators as far as the eye can see!

Inside the Aquatics Centre the atmosphere was just as amazing as outside.  Spectators as far the eyes could see, flags waving, people screaming with excitement, cheering on the swimmers.  This is what I had come to witness!  The entire roof erupted as Rebecca Adlington entered the pool, OMG, I was there and managed to not only soak up the atmosphere but also got some pics as well!

Check out the swimmers, including Rebecca in the pool!

Check out the view - OMG!

Yay, she successfully qualifies by finishing first in her heat!

The heavens opening around lunchtime, typical British Summer, but I had hoped, liked the rest of the nation, that we would have some sort of Summer, especially during the games.

A sea of umbrellas!

The hardest group of people to deal with is the press and media.  There are thousands and thousands from all over the world, never seen so many!  They assume because they have a camera in their hands this gives them the right to access all areas, in any venue.  They don't take no for an answer and certainly don't like being challenged, especially when they don't have the correct accreditation!  I've had to challenge a couple, but the presence of the armed forces and police make the job a little easier!

Oh yes, I bumped into a few celebs whilst on shift.  Saw David Cameron, who stopped and acknowledged all the hard work volunteers where doing!  Saw DJ Chris Evans and also the French President, who had the biggest entourage I've ever seen!  Not a bad start to the week and not your average day in the office!  Looking forward to seeing who else I may bump into during the remainder of the week.

30th Olympiad has finally begun!

What an emotional and amazing opening ceremony!  I am still exhausted from last night and woke thinking did it really happen, was I there, was it a dream, after all the waiting the games of the 30th Olympiad have finally begun!

The atmosphere in London Town was absolutely electric, carnival like wherever I ventured yesterday.  To add to this the sun has not stopped shining since I arrived - I guess I brought it with me from Nottingham!

The countdown to 9pm, the start of the opening ceremony seemed like an eternity!  When it did finally arrive the world certainly new about it.  I won't describe the opening ceremony in great detail, as the viewing figures speak for themselves.  My favourite part of the entire opening ceremony was when the Olympic rings came together in mid air, during the Industrial Revolution segment of the performance.  The music, the smoke, the noise, the atmosphere - what an amazing show piece of the opening ceremony!  I want to re-live that moment again and again, was an awesome spectacle.  Well you can via the video link here.  One of the best nights of my life, the memories will stay with me forever!  Danny Boyle certainly did us proud, how everything came together on the night is beyond me. 

I managed to take a selection of pics from the opening ceremony, which can be viewed via my Facebook page here.  One of the best image from the night can be seen below, what a sight!

Check out the miniature athletes!

An early night for me tonight as I have a 4am alarm call in the morning, my first shift starts at 7am.  Am I excited, oh yes, ready and waiting to finally put into practise what I have been learning over the last few months.

Awesome opening ceremony rehearsal!

After an emotional farewell from family and friends in Nottingham I finally arrived at my destination for the Olympics yesterday morning. What a scorcher, 32 degrees in London Town! I unpacked, showered, changed and headed straight for the Olympic Park.

The parameter was packed, full of eager people, waiting in anticipation, the atmosphere was carnival like and this was before I entered the stadium! As I passed the security checks, the size and scale of what was about to unfold finally hit me! Not sure it is was because the entire park was open or maybe it was seeing public roaming freely for the first time. People everywhere, fellow volunteers already in uniform working, press, media, police, army, security, a mixture of young and old, people of different casts and religions - wow, this place was buzzing!!!

 

As I manoeuvred around the place it soon became apparent just how enormous it actually is, mammoth venues, huge structures, beautiful landscaping, the biggest Macdonalds I have ever seen, plus a whole variety of other eating places. The sun was shining, not a cloud in sight and people as far as the eye could see - I had finally arrived for the Summer, and what a Summer it promises to be!

I made my way round to the main stadium, had my ticket scanned and was shown to my seat by fellow volunteers, something I will be doing next week! The stadium was huge, I've been to a few but nothing on this scale! Now to use an old cliche, to cut a story short, I am not allowed to log or show pictures of what happened next. The next three hours where absolutely amazing, what a performance, what a show! 10,000, yes 10,000 performers in the opening ceremony, a mixture of music, lights, singing and dancing! All I can say is that the entire nation are in for an absolute treat this Friday evening and I encourage you all to watch this amazing spectacle! It's nothing like Beijing and without being too biased it's fantastic! The highlight for me was when I heard Chariots of Fire being played around the stadium - what an emotional moment, this summed up the entire journey for me. I'm not afraid to admit I had a lump in my throat, the whole sense of occasion just took over - wow wow wow!

10 days and counting!

T minus 10 days & counting - can you believe it!!!

T minus 9 days & counting - the sleepless nights have begun :)

 

T minus 8 days & counting - looking forward to watching this Olympic special!  

 

T minus 7 days & counting - it's hard to comprehend that in just 7 days time I will be attending the rehearsal of the opening ceremony in this gigantic stadium! In the words of my pop idol Kylie, WOW WOW WOW WOW!  

T minus 6 days & counting - on this day next week I'll be attending the finale of the Olympic Torch Relay in Hyde Park, along with 80,000 other excited Olympic fans, bring it on!!! 

T minus 5 days & counting  - it's a Friday, it's the first day of Ramadan & 7 days until the opening ceremony.  A happy Olympic Ramadan Friday to all!!!

T minus 4 days & counting - I think we are in safe hands lol!!!

T minus 3 days & counting - my new home, the Aquatics Centre, will be open to the public soooooon :)

T minus 2 days & counting! Not only have I got deal with the excitement and adrenaline, but now have to re-evaluate my packing because of the sun - its a hard life!!!

T minus 1 day, yes 1 day & counting, until I take part in the rehearsal of the opening ceremony!  I may burst a vain or two with excitement!!!