This summer I'm one of 70,000 Games Makers volunteering my time to put on 'the greatest show on earth!' This blog documents my once-in-a-lifetime experience at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
I came across this today during my lunch break and thought it was interesting and worth sharing on the blog. For one thing it gives a real sense of perspective and scale of the undertaking for delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games for London 2012.
The Games in numbers
A worldwide audience of around 5 billion
Over 10 million tickets
Around 14,700 athletes from almost 200 countries
A total of 805 events
46 world championships
30 days of competition
1 million hours of training
A workforce of 200,000
10,000 temporary toilets
200,000 temporary seats
More than 1 million visitors to the Olympic Stadium
This Saturday I'm taking the first step in my Olympic odyssey as I travel from Northern Ireland to Wembley Arena in London for my Games Maker Orientation training. There'll be close to 3,000 like-minded Games Makers receiving their training alongside me and my excitement levels are already through the roof with the prospect of meeting new people and making new friends. This is going to be fantastic experience.
Orientation is the first stage in becoming a fully fledged London 2012 Games Maker. The blurb on the training, from what I've been sent so far from the London 2012 organisers, is to
"Provide an introduction to the heritage and importance of the Games as well as an insight into what working at London 2012 will be like, including the sports, venues and the roles. Games Makers will leave the session prepared for the next steps on the journey to Games time. The sessions include welcome talks from hosts, presentations and mocked up scenarios which will introduce all Games time workers to the realities of putting on an event the size of the Olympic and Paralympic Games."
It sounds very exciting and I can't wait! I wonder if Eddie Izzard will be back for my training session? It'd be great to meet him.
Anyway watch this space for all my London 2012 Games Maker updates, thoughts and musings in the run up to the 'greatest show on earth!'
