For 10 of the 17 days of competition at London 2012 I have been an Olympic news supply gamesmaker (‘We had a very tight bond. There’s a sense of grieving in losing that’, 10 August), a volunteer at Greenwich Park. I feel intense pride in having been able to contribute to the Games. Like many others, I have not seen any live action, the employment has been intense, often tiring and, in my condition, the daily travel to Greenwich has been draining. However none of this matters compared to the fantastic sense of achievement we can carry house each day.We also demand to praise those working at the Olympics as paid staff. Imagine trying to get 70,000 volunteers up and running smoothly from day one. Although we volunteers had some training, nothing can prepare you for the immediate intensity of the Games. Whether guiding thousands along the at the end mile to the venue, checking thousands of tickets or, in my condition, processing athletes’ quotes on an unfamiliar machine system, we have had the support and patience of professionals to guide us.One of the most pleasurable parts of being a gamesmaker is the friendliness it seems to generate among the public. The extended journeys have been made bearable by the smiles, friendly conversation and common goodwill of the public. The athletes I have met, from all nations, have been warm and open, and the sense of being a part of a special community has been fantastic. It is a pity such goodwill cannot be carried on after the Paralympics. Gamesmakers can affirm “we were there” and claim our own sense of achievement in making the Games what it was, yet it will go beyond that. The lessons learned, the friendships made and the impact of being part of it, will become a part of who we are and it will, to various degrees, impact on our lives forever. We demand to ensure the gamesmaker legacy lives on.Tony ButcherFolkestone, KentVolunteeringOlympic Games 2012Paralympics 2012guardian.co.uk © 2012 Twitter News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Employ of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
DOWNLOAD: Earthquake