Clive Handy's Blog

I’m staying true to my word to capture my thoughts and experiences at the Olympics daily. So here goes with my first day of action (or not!)

They say the best things come in small packages; this must be true of weightlifters, who I had never seen any close up before. On TV in previous Olympics they all looked like man-mountains, barely able to stop their legs rubbing together. Seeing them ‘in the flesh’ is a different matter altogether. many of the lighter ones (<56 Kg) are small wiry types who can lift more than my not inconsiderable body weight with ease. I put it down to the low centre of gravity which makes them so successful with a show of pure, brutal strength.

The day started with an early (before 7.00am) train into Waterloo, dressed in my full volunteer uniform of the now iconic purple polo shirt, beige trousers and Adidas trainers, complete with Swatch watch, baseball cap, waterproof jacket, haversack, umbrella and water bottle; followed by the Jubilee line and DLR (Docklands Light Railway) to the Excel in London's Docklands. I made my first mistake at this point, getting on the wrong DLR (it was damn early!) and having to get off at West Silvertown, across the river from the Excel, under the route for the new cable car crossing the Thames.

It was a beautiful start to the day, crystal bright skies and sunny. The walk from West Silvertown set me off in a good mood for the 20 minute or so to the Excel entrance. What greeted me there were seemingly thousands of spectators wanting to get in. After the security checks which everyone has to face, even volunteers, I was in and late for my first briefing. Never mind found workplace services and reported in. A team leader came brief me on what to do next and I went down to the weightlifting arena to check in. The Excel was full as I had ever seen it, and it was all Olympics, LOCOG (The organising committee) having taken over the whole building which is 600 meters and long and takes about 15 minutes to walk the length of the main ‘boulevard’ down the centre:

So my first day was to be in the weightlifting arena. Thinking that I might be cheerfully checking tickets, showing people to their seats, helping out generally, I was instead part of a team ‘backstage’ which helps to get the athletes, judges, officials and other ‘Games Makers’ as we are called through the right entrance with the right credentials (called g in Olympic parlance ‘accreditation’). Just like the bouncer, sorry door supervisor, at the nightclub, if you haven’t got the right accreditation, you ain’t getting in. The day was spent moving around to different areas checking variously athletes, judges, technical staff could get in to the area you were responsible for. Didn’t see one spectator, or deal with any lost children. Still a vital and important job, I’m sure, but there were long periods of little activity, interspersed with lunch or a break. Lunch was free and taken in a huge upstairs room for staff only, there must have been 1000 people in there all having a meal. it was adequate and quite filling but too early for me at 11 o’clock. I use the old military adage, eat when you can as much as you can. Pity the latter part of that old saw wasn’t true. For some of the time I was stationed just near this sign:

….to check in the athletes, who were from such varying countries as Moldova, The Solomon Islands and Poland. None of them were particularly talkative but I suppose they were all focussed on their task, to win medals. The day ended with a briefing to discuss what went wrong and what was good. Ideas were discussed and although I had been there for nearly 7 hours it hadn’t felt like it. There were some issues which would be passed up the management chain, but whether anything would be done, well there is only 12 days left so it is doubtful.

One of the nice things about being in uniform is that people talk to you, strike up conversations, ask what you are doing and where. This is the best bit of the whole job of being a volunteer, telling them how much you enjoy it, and the journey you took to get there. It is very gratifying that most people think like this and applaud the efforts of everyone involved to make the London 2012 Olympics a success, not like some elements of the media. I shall return to this theme in the future, suffice it say that I find the attitude of people like Peter Hitchens in the Mail on Sunday to be intolerable. He may not like anything about the Olympics and sneer at its cost, overspend and general overblown bonhomie about it, but the majority all the people I have met support it to hilt. So to quote me from elsewhere, yah boo sucks to those who denigrate the Olympics and Britain’s whole involvement in it. I’m afraid your views really don’t matter.

Enjoy the rest of the Olympics, there’s not much time left, and we’ll never see the likes of it again. It is the best thing that has happened to this country for a long time.

Danny Boyle is a genius, or certifiable. Some of his films including Slum Dog Millionaire, Trainspotting and 28 Days later give a taste of what to expect at this full dress rehearsal for the Olympic Opening Ceremony, but nothing can prepare for the assault on the senses that last night’s show gives.

We were invited along to watch because both my daughter and her husband are dancing in the opening ceremony, and they were given tickets to dish out to anyone they wanted. We met up with other relations at the Olympic stadium. This is the centre piece for the Olympic park and is a magnificent structure, dominating the Olympic park which in itself is huge. Signs everywhere tell you how far the aquatic centre is ( 20-30 minute walk), or the basketball area. Everything about the park is big, including the biggest McDonald’s I’ve ever seen, but it was closed last night. An opportunity missed I think, there was 60,000 people plus in the stadium and they could have made a killing. If you do want to buy anything from the many outlets in the park, you’d better have deep pockets, cheap it ain’t. Our journey started at 3.30 when we caught the train to Waterloo, then Jubilee line to Stratford. A quick look at the new Westfield shopping centre adjacent to the Olympic park for a cuppa and then queuing up to get in past security. They allowed empty bottles in which could be filled up at free water fountains inside, a nice touch. Perhaps the airports could adopt the same principle? After the obligatory photo taking we made our way into the stadium where we were seated in the gods, one or two rows back from the very top which gave us a panoramic view of the whole stadium and the scene that was laid out in the centre of the arena. The audience were sworn to secrecy so I shall respect that (#savethe surprise), but suffice to say that Boyle has created a wonderful and evocative image of the British Isles, with slick scene changes and a cast that was literally thousands strong. Please try to watch the ceremony on Friday night, I shall be because they purposely missed out some aspects of the whole evening, and they will be revealed in all their glory on television. This biggest secret of course who is going to light the Olympic cauldron, and no clues were given there either. We’ll all find out together. Have fun watching the ceremony and the games, I will.

I forgot to add in the poem I wrote for the Olympics:

The Olympic Poem

I’m thinking about something Olympic
But unfortunately I have no yardstick
And in trying to remain artistic
I’m going to try and write a poem

There’s 205 countries in the Olympics
And 000’s of spectators to transfix
Throw in TV and the world into the mix
And You have a whole mess of interest

Despite the security situation
And G4S fooling the nation
At the end it’s about an ovation
For all those taking part

I’m one of 70 thousand
Who volunteered to give a hand
So that all venues are manned
And our visitors are treated well

It started over 2 years ago
And little was I to know
That that time would go so slow
But it actually went quick

Having to attend days training
Being told about just everything
If only I knew just something
About how everythings going to work!

Anyway back to things Olympic
To people who run, jump, throw & kick
Wishing them good luck & good nick
To win the medal they strive

(and added by my mate Neil):

Now that you’ve been there and done it.                                                    In your sleep, GB Anthem , you’ll hum it .                                                  Now retired, you’re better off doing summit,                                                There’s a medal there for you too, Clive

(C) 2012 Clive Handy

Right here goes, my first blog.  I’m encouraged to do this by my friend from the West Street Writers in Farnham, Georgie Knaggs, who has been writing a blog for oh… ages now. I really needed to get something going because on 29th July I attend my first shift at the Excel for the London 2012 Olympic games. So I’ve got my uniform, my accreditation (ID card in normal parlance) and I’m good to go.

Me at a BBQ last year

I’ve had several days training, culminating in last Sundays ‘Venue Specific Training’ at the Excel, so now I’m ready to receive the visitors. The Excel has 7 events: Wrestling (freestyle and greco-roman), Judo, Boxing, Table Tennis, Taekwondo and Weightlifting.  The 5 event areas can hold up to 70,000 people so it really is a big deal and 2nd only to the main Olympic park.

I shall try and report fairly quickly after each day and see how I get on, any comments welcome.