Practising what she preaches, Rose Seagrief took two weeks leave from her day job to join the Olympic Gamesmakers, the army of volunteers that helped out during London 2012. Rose is the manager of Wiltshire Community Land Trust, which assists volunteer-run groups in Wiltshire and Swindon to set up community land trusts to own and manage their own assets and facilities.
Now, as the Paralympics approach, she looks back on her Olympic experience.
Rose, who lives in Chippenham, was made a team leader at the Greenwich Park venue. She was in charge of between five and twelve volunteers, usually different people every day. “We did whatever needed doing. We welcomed people at the gates, scanned their tickets, saw them to their seats in the 20,500-seater stadium, managed queues at the food stalls, made sure all the toilets functioned, answered questions about anything and everything, and high-fived happy punters as they headed home.”
Her team members ranged in age from eighteen to well into their seventies: “They were amazing. Whatever they were asked to do, they did it. It made no difference how early it was, how late lunch was, how many stairs had to be climbed, or which portion of the anatomy ached that day, off they went, willingly and with humour. And somehow, at the end of every day, we had always enjoyed ourselves.”
The volunteers in her team were amused by the names given to certain things: “We didn’t have exits we had ‘vomitaries’, which I think we can blame on the Romans. Best of all, the horses that took part in the equestrian events were called ‘Equine Athletes’, while those the modern pentathletes drew lots for were termed ‘Sports Equipment’. How rude! I don’t blame one or two of the latter for throwing their riders.”
Rose and her team enjoyed the spectators too: “Kids and adults alike were wide-eyed and brimming with excitement. Seasoned equestrian experts spurred us on to make sure no-one moved a muscle while the finely-tuned dressage horses went through their paces. But young and old, in the know or otherwise, each and every one erupted with whoops of delight when Team GB made the medal podium.”
She won’t forget in a hurry the ear-splitting roar that went round the stadium when Samantha Murray won the final silver medal of the Games. Or how, as they left, the spectators thanked the Gamesmakers: “How good that felt!”
Wiltshire Community Land Trust is an umbrella body that works with volunteer-led community groups in Wiltshire and Swindon who want to take on ownership and management of local assets such as affordable housing, workspaces, land for growing food and for recreation, wildlife reserves, pubs, shops and a range of community facilities and local services. So it is no great surprise that Rose takes a lesson in volunteering from her time among the horses, riders, spectators and fellow volunteers at Greenwich:
“There is no question that we can all be as proud of our volunteering tradition as we can of our sporting prowess, both celebrated so loudly over the past few weeks. That celebration will no doubt continue on to the Paralympics, but when those are done and dusted, quietly and mostly unsung all those Gamesmakers and many more besides will be back in their own communities continuing to give generously of their skills and energy, making life a little better for everyone.”
And if you are interested in the work of the Wiltshire Community Land Trust you can phone her (01380 850916) or email her: rose@wiltshireclt.org.uk
Travellers’ invasion of Marlborough College playing fields comes to an end in blazing sunshine
