I DO ACT

Purple is so my colour!

I DO ACT- this is the mantra of the Gamesmaker – the acronym standing for:-

• Be Inspirational
• Be Distinctive
• Be Open
• Be Alert
• Be Consistent
• Be Teamworky-ish (I think they had trouble finding a team related adjective that also began with a T)

When I put on my fetching uniform on Saturday I have to say I felt very proud and on arriving at the Park (after taking fully 29 minutes to travel through the 'transport chaos' from St Albans to Stratford) I felt immediately comfortable in smiling, offering help (how many photos have I offered to take?) and in assuming the role of a host.

I think we’ve got this whole Olympics thing about right:-

• We (Team GB) aren’t winning anything yet and as I write things going from bad to worse. As a host it would be bad form. Perhaps we can allow ourselves an extra helping of something a little later. But we seem to have taken the more relaxed attitude so ‘those two impostors’ that did so well for us in the European Championships.
• The Olympic Park is outstanding – fantastic buildings, loads of space, beautiful planting (shout out to the gardeners)
• The transport system is (and was always going to) cope – 29 minutes to Stratford from St Albans for goodness sake
• The opening ceremony showed all that is great about GB
• The Gamesmaking volunteers are simply superb

On the final point I think the organisers have tapped into an all-too-often hidden stream of openness and welcome that exists, often buried, beneath layers of British reserve. Here is the humanity that enables our country to be genuinely and comfortably multi-cultural despite the odd glitch. Here is the warmth that is often to be found in the meeting of strangers who realise that their paths may never cross again and so have no fear in honesty. Here are the smiles and little acknowledgements that are so trapped behind our commuter masks.

I’m thoroughly enjoying my role as a Events Team Leader at the Copper Box, although I’ve never walked as much in an 11 hour period as I did last Saturday. Wow, my feet hurt despite the excellent Adidas trainers we are issued with. I’m looking forward to my next shift.

But what has this brought to Best? I guess it has reaffirmed that the approach Annette & I have always taken is the right one – you get more by smiling, trusting people and helpfulness. The welcome we try and give is the same as that at London 2012 – we are genuinely pleased to see you! And wherever there may be problems to solve, we start from a basis of warmth and trust and a commitment to reaching a solution which makes everyone happy. All sound a bit cheesy? Maybe. But it works for us and it works at the Olympics.

Now, let’s start a campaign to get the empty seats filled by Gamesmakers...