On 2 September, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) visited Manchester to meet local residents and raise awareness of the London 2012 Games Maker volunteering programme.

In partnership with McDonald’s, the Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Games Maker programme and the Museums Libraries and Archives Council, the LOCOG Volunteering Team hosted an information event at the Oxford St McDonald’s and then at the City Library, Deansgate. 

North West residents interested in volunteering at the London 2012 Games were invited to meet the team, find out exactly what is involved and why they should apply, in advance of applications opening for generalist volunteer roles on 15 September 2010.

Vicky Hall, LOCOG Employee Engagement Manager said: “We’re looking for passionate and committed individuals from all over the UK to make the London 2012 Games, and we were delighted with the level of interest and enthusiasm shown by the people of Manchester.

“At this stage we want residents to think long and hard about whether they’ve got what it takes to be a volunteer, and we are sure that come 15 September we will see a good calibre of candidates coming forward to be part of this once in a lifetime event.” 

Roger Khoryati, Owner and Operator of McDonald's Manchester City Centre said: “We’re thrilled to be part of the London 2012 Games Maker programme and to have the opportunity to speak to the residents of Manchester on the commitment and team work involved in being part of London 2012 – both values we are proud to instil across all our staff. We are looking forward to playing a crucial role in this historic event and proud to bring our expertise to the forefront of this programme.”  

The Manchester event was part of a UK wide tour to offer an opportunity for people to find out more about the London 2012 Games Maker programme in advance of applications opening to the public on 15 September. LOCOG seeks to attract, train and retain up to 70,000 dedicated and inspirational people from all over the UK, for a wide variety of volunteer roles at Games time.  Roles include meet and greet at ports of entry, ceremonies costume assistants, spectator assistants, uniform distributors and ticket checking.

The event was also a great opportunity to raise the profile of other volunteering opportunities in the North West.

Rob Young, Northwest Coordinator for the 2012 Games, said:

“Here in the Northwest, we have incredibly strong volunteering expertise, gained from successful events such as the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Liverpool 08 and the regional Major Events programme, so we’re already well placed to benefit from, and contribute towards, an outstanding Games in 2012.

“There will be a number of volunteering opportunities for people in the region to get involved right on their doorstep - from Pre Games Training Camps and Olympic football at Old Trafford, to the Torch Relay and events taking place as part of the Cultural Olympiad. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the most exciting event ever held in the UK and I’d encourage everyone in the region to get involved.”

For information on London 2012 Games Maker roles and the application process, please visit www.london2012.com/volunteering