It was the
biggest volunteer recruitment drive in the UK in peacetime and during
the Games, the 10,000-strong Crew 2002, aged between 16 and 87,
will put in 1,260,000 hours to ensure the Games run smoothly.
Darren Campbell,
Manchester born Olympic silver medallists said: "The work the volunteers
are doing is fantastic. They make me proud to be a Mancunian."
Australia'
s Hockey captain Katrina Powell added: "In Sydney the volunteers
really made the Olympic Games special. Having met many volunteers
already here in Manchester, they have already shown they are going
to an amazing job as well. They really are the champions."
The Crew 2002
volunteer programme was launched in May 2001 and in just eight months
the Volunteer Centre received over 20,000 applications.
Every member
of Crew 2002 was invited to a special evening in April to kick-start
their training programme followed by extensive venue and job specific
training to make sure all members of Crew 2002 were prepared for
their individual roles. Every volunteer also received a full set
of uniform, including the distinctive flat cap.
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