Volunteering - Not just for do-gooders!

I'd like to point out at this point that I've never once believed that volunteering is just for old people or do-gooders.  I have not volunteered for anything since I was in cadets as a teenager; I really don't know whether that's a reaction to overdoing it then.  All I know is that I was offered the opportunity to volunteer for the Paralympic Torch Relay and rather than ignore the email, I said yes.  I am so pleased I did.  I was covering a couple of the sections of the torch relay (as a steward) as it went through Buckinghamshire including the very first leg from Stoke Mandeville Stadium to the Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and then into Aylesbury town centre.  

Even though the torch was running late, people in the crowd were really lovely and I had the chance to meet people I would not usually get the chance to speak to.  It was a really good giggle, especially chatting to the munchkins (under 5s) who were so excited it was infectious and the public present on my stretches of the route were really understanding as I asked them to stay on the path and not step into the road.  I really enjoyed the whole experience and would do it again in a heartbeat even though I didn't get to see the extravaganza in the town centre.

The Paralympic Torch relay, in my home town because of the hard work put in by the London 2012 bidders and organisers but more importantly because of the breakthrough work of Sir Ludwig "Poppa" Guttmann more than half a century ago.  Please read his story, even if you just scan the Wikipedia entry,  it is truly inspirational.

If anything, I am now more likely to say 'yes' to calls for volunteers as I have learnt so much about the area I live in, it's history and the inspirational people who have also called it home if even for a short while.

On other matters, I have new wool and big plans.  More information next time...