The volunteers, who will be known as Games Makers, will be vital in ensuring the smooth running of the Games while fast food giant McDonald’s has been appointed the Presenting Partner the scheme and will use their expertise in customer service and training to help attract, select and train the diverse team.

There are two types of Games Maker roles; specialists in areas such as medical services, sport or press operations and generalists, with roles ranging from spectator assistants, uniform distributors and ticket checking.

In addition to the Games Makers, the Mayor of London will shortly announce plans for the recruitment of London Volunteers who will be stationed at key transport hubs, visitor attractions and on the streets of the capital during the Games to make visitors receive the best possible welcome to the city.

On July 27, 2010, exactly two years before the London 2012 Games kick-off, applications open for pre-identified applicants for specialist sport, press operations, anti-doping and medical roles and members of a wide range of disability specialist organisations.

Recruitment for the Mayor’s London Volunteers scheme also starts on this date while there is a further opportunity for those interested in the generalist roles to find out more about them via a dedicated section on the London 2012 website.

On September 15, 2010, applications open to the public for generalist roles and continue for specialist roles.

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, said: "London 2012 needs brilliant volunteers to help us deliver a great Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"Our volunteers will be called Games Makers to reflect the important role they will play in staging the 2012 Games.

"The programme to find our Games Makers will launch on 27 July, 2010, and I urge anyone that is interested to come to our website from the day onwards to find out everything they need to know about volunteering in 2012."

Steve Easterbrook, the chief executive of McDonald’s UK, said: "We value our people above everything else in our business and it is our ambition to ensure that the 2012 Games volunteers are also highly valued, recognised and celebrated for their efforts and achievements.



Easterbrook launched the scheme at a special ceremony at Olympic Park also attended by singer Alesha Dixon and Coe.

"We are proud to use this experience to help prepare the volunteers for the unique experience of London 2012 that leaves an enduring volunteering legacy for years to come."

Up to 1,500 of the Games Maker roles will be made available for those under the age of 18 through the ‘Young Games Maker’ programme that will be unveiled in July 2011.

The role of volunteers has been integral throughout Olympic history and London actually pioneered the use of volunteers when the city hosted 1948 Olympics which saw the first official use of unpaid members of the public to help with the Games.

Hugh Robertson, Sport and Olympics Minister, said: "As I have seen in Turin, Beijing, Vancouver [for the Olympics] and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, volunteers are the public face of every major sports event, playing a vital role in the spectator and athlete experience. 

"If London is to be a friendly and successful Games, we will need volunteers of all ages to welcome the world to London and give London 2012 our own distinctive British imprint.”

London Mayor Boris Johnson added: "Volunteering for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, on home soil, is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"It is the great people of this country, with their warm welcome and ‘can-do’ attitude, on whom the success of our Games will depend. 

"So my message is simple: whether you have a specific skill to offer or simply bags of enthusiasm to get stuck in and lend a hand, be it volunteering in one of the fantastic 2012 Games venues or helping us on the streets of our city - your Games need you!"

To find out more details click here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
July 2010: London 2012 signs deal with outdoor advertising firm
June 2010: Darren Campbell - There is a volunteer inside all of us
March 2010: London 2012 volunteers could win tickets to opening ceremony dress rehearsal
January 2010: Dame Kelly Trust to deliver London 2012 Young Leaders Programme