Visit Kent Press Release - 24/1/12
Join in the Action as a Games Time Kent Greeter
Kent County Council in partnership with Visit Kent is offering
300 volunteers the opportunity to become official Games Time Kent
Greeters and play an active part in the 2012 Games.
Games Time Kent Greeters will be on hand to provide support and
advice to residents and visitors from July 17 to September 9. They
willplay an essential role along the route of the Torch Relay,
including the special events and overnight stops at Dover and
Maidstone, and at key transport hubs such as Dover, Ebbsfleet and
Sevenoaks during the Olympics and Paralympics.
Volunteers need to be over 18 years old with an overriding
enthusiasm for the Games, the county and meeting new people. No
specific skills or qualifications are required and full customer
service training will be given including access to a fun, online
Welcome to Kent training programme. In return for giving their time
for free, Games Time Kent Greeters will be part of a group of
like-minded people, benefit from certificated training
opportunities, receive free travel and refreshments for
volunteering shifts, a free official 2012 uniform and backpack, and
a souvenir 2012 pin badge. The search for volunteers to become
Games Time Kent Greeters was launched by Visit Kent at Penshurst
Place, near Tonbridge, on Friday (January 20), by Olympics Minister
Hugh Robertson, who is also MP from Faversham and Mid-Kent.
The project is funded by Kent County Council’s Sport, Leisure
and Olympics Service, and is delivered in partnership with
Voluntary Action Maidstone.
Sandra Matthews-Marsh, chief executive at Visit Kent, said:
“This is a tremendous opportunity to play a significant role in the
greatest sporting spectacular in the world – helping Kent people
and our visitors capture all the excitement of the Games.
“Our Games Time Kent Greeters will be our frontline ambassadors
welcoming our guests from across the world. They will be helping
our visitors have such a memorable and enjoyable experience that
they will want to return to Kent in years to come and will
recommend the Garden of England as a great destination to all their
friends and families.”
Application forms will available from libraries, volunteer
centres and council Gateway service centres across the county. You
can alsoapply online at www.visitkentbusiness.co.uk/gamestimegreeters.
The deadline for applications is Friday, April 6. All applications
will be reviewed and a shortlist drawn up for interviews to be held
in April and May.
For further media information, please contact:
Delphine Houlton or Andrew Metcalf, at Maxim, tel: 01892 513033,
email: Delphine@maxim-pr.co.uk,
or Julie Edwards, at Visit Kent, tel: 01227 812900, email:
Julie.edwards@visitkent.co.uk.
For images of Kent, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/visitkent/
