David Cameron thanks Armed Forces, police and Olympic volunteers
"These Games have yet again shown that Britain is a great volunteering nation."
The Prime Minister David Cameron has today thanked Olympics volunteers, members of the Armed Forces, police and others who made the Games possible, describing them as ‘the very best of Britain.’ After the Paralympic Games concludes, the Government will issue those members of the Armed Forces and the Police involved with a commemorative coin to thank them for delivering a safe and secure Olympic Games. It will also look at whether other groups should be included.
In addition to the 70,000 commemorative batons being given to Games Makers by LOCOG, the Department for Culture Media and Sport will also give the same baton to the other 18,000 volunteers who worked as London and UK ambassadors and as additional support at airports and train stations.
Mr Cameron said:
The volunteers, members of the Armed Forces, police and others who worked on the Games are the ones who made them possible. These people not only gave up their time, but brought a phenomenal energy and passion to the streets and to Olympic venues up and down the country. So I hope what will stay with the volunteers will be the experience of a lifetime in helping to make London 2012 the monumental success that it was. These coins and batons are just a small permanent token of the enormous gratitude we all have for them.
The passion and professionalism of the volunteers has been matched by the fantastic work of the Armed Forces and the police, who have worked tirelessly to deliver a safe and secure Games. I am delighted to be giving a commemorative coin to everyone who helped to deliver the biggest peacetime security operation this country has ever seen.
I also want to say a big thank you to everyone else who worked during the Olympic Games: the G4S staff and contractors, transport workers and all those who, along with our volunteers, the Army and the Police, helped to show the world what a fantastic country the United Kingdom is. They are the very best of Britain.
The Prime Minister is also giving his backing to the ‘Join In’ campaign - an independent charity, funded by £2.5 million of Government money, which invites those who got involved in the Olympics to volunteer in future.
The Prime Minister added:
These Games have yet again shown that Britain is a great volunteering nation. When I visited Olympic venues this summer, I had the privilege of meeting many of the volunteers and saw just how infectious their passion and dedication was.
We need to make the most of this magic moment and harness the enthusiasm for sport and for volunteering the Games has generated. That’s why the ‘Join In Local Sport’ project is so important, so that we bring London 2012 back to the place it begins for every great champion: their local sports club and the great volunteers who make it all possible.