A night out with Suffolk's Games Makers

Last night saw the third and final event to commemorate the various players in London 2012, held at Endeavour House, headquarters of Suffolk County Council. The Olympians and Paralympians had had their achievements celebrated, and now it was the turn of the volunteers, those unsung heroes whose spirit and enthusiasm did so much to make the Games such a hugely enjoyable event.

Almost 100 Games Makers, most of them in their uniforms, had gathered from around the county to meet and exchange stories, as part of a legacy project to build on their experiences as volunteers, attempting to enhance volunteering across Suffolk.

Ros spoke in her capacity as Chair of the England Volunteering Development Council, but also as a Suffolk resident, and I tagged along as the event was around the corner from my office.

But volunteering is one thing, using volunteers effectively is another, and Ros is incredibly supportive of the network of Volunteer Centres across the county and beyond. Volunteer Centres act as a sort of clearing house for potential volunteers, matching up available skills with the needs of often small, community-based organisations, and often leverage significant benefits for their area.

And it is ironic that, when all three major parties are looking to the voluntary sector to take on roles previously fulfilled by government, funding to volunteer centres is one of the early casualties. "Typical, unjoined-up government!", thought the bureaucrat...