Eastcombe WI: Mike Cooper, author of ‘I Was an Olympic Volunteer’

ON A clear spring evening the members of Eastcombe WI were whisked into the heady world of Olympic volunteering.

Mike Cooper, author of ‘I Was an Olympic Volunteer’ regaled us with an account of his exciting experiences, from interviews in the women’s changing rooms in Atlanta in 1996 to finding himself 40 metres from a triumphant and radiant Jessica Ennis, in the 2012 Olympics in London.

How wonderful to be there, as Britain won three gold medals in an hour, while Jessica and Mo Farrar set the stadium on fire!

However, this job isn’t all about glamour and thrills.

Apparently, as an Olympic volunteer you are instructed to bear in mind three key points.

Firstly, never point, for there are fourteen different nations in which that gesture is offensive.

Secondly never cheer, in case you are standing next to someone who is a supporter of another contender.

Thirdly, never say ‘Cool dude’! – we never found out quite why that was unacceptable.

The job of an Olympic volunteer is not an easy one.

For instance, what do you say when a person whose gender is not obvious asks you for directions to the toilet?

How do you deal with a spectator who objects to the fact that the gay couple sitting nearby are holding hands?

This needs the wisdom of Job, but as if that were not enough, a high level of physical stamina is also required.

Long shifts during which sitting is prohibited require dedication and determination.

At the end of the evening we all felt we had picked up a little of the Olympic exhilaration and the giddy sensation of being present at the world’s most prestigious event.

Those school sports days will never be quite the same now!