Why I still wear my Games Maker uniform

Since the London 2012 Games finished on 9th September 2012 with the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games, unlike many of my fellow official Games Makers, I have been wearing my Games Maker uniform very frequently. Some people think I shouldn’t carry on wearing it with the Games finished. A point of view I understand and they are entitled to their opinion.

Thought I should put down why I still wear my Games Maker uniform, not as an apology but more so people can understand my point of view. On the whole it still gets a positive reaction from people who think I should be proud to still wear it because of what the Games Makers accomplished at London 2012:

At the conclusion of the Games my uniform, which had been the property of London 2012 throughout the Games, became my property and owned by me.

Technically we were not supposed to wear it again but put it away. To me, that seemed such a waste to just wear it for 2 and a half weeks. After all, us Games Makers along with the athletes, police and officials, had made history at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I had just been a Games Maker at the most successful Olympic Games ever.

So I thought that as I owned the uniform I might as well do something constructive with it. It was at that point I decided to wear it when doing any sports volunteering such as marshalling at races, being a marksman on the track or stewarding at Clee Town FC matches.

Volunteering is just one of the things the Olympic Legacy is all about. After the Games, London 2012 (now Sport England) had been trying to inspire us Games Makers to volunteer in our local community. Wearing the uniform not only puts it to good use after the London 2012 Games but represents the Olympic Legacy. My volunteering is also a part of the Olympic Legacy the country is trying to build.

It should be noted that I also wear the uniform as I was also inspired by London 2012 and by my fellow Games Makers and what many of them have done since the end of the Games. I also wear it in the hope of inspiring others to do their best and to inspire them to volunteer too.

Many of my fellow Games Makers put their uniforms away after the athletes parade on 10th September 2012. At the end of the day it is the personal choice of each individual Games Maker.

Apparently it will take 10 years to build the London 2012 Olympic Legacy. I shall continue to wear my uniform when doing Sports Volunteering for the foreseeable future, and possibly far into it, while the legacy is being built and while the uniform still stays in one piece :)