London 2912 registers 100,000th volunteer

Brother and sister Yousef and Leila Ziu from Cricklewood, North West London were the 100,000th potential volunteers to register their interest in volunteering for London 2012.

During the Games, over 70,000 volunteers will be needed to make the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games a success.

Recruitment and selection of volunteers for the 2012 Games will not be organised on a first come, first served basis. Instead, volunteers will be selected for a number of reasons, including their individual skills and especially for their volunteering experience. London 2012's volunteer recruitment programme will begin in 2010, and people can continue to register their interest in volunteering up until that time.

In the years leading up to 2012, the London Organising Committee encourages people to volunteer in their local communities to boost their chances of selection.

Experience at previous Games suggests that the 10 areas that need the largest number of volunteers are;

Spectator Services - assisting at venues
Transport - Driving, queue management
Medical - First Aid, athletes' clinics
Technology - Information Technology
Security - Stewarding and check-ins
Accreditation - Overseeing pass systems
Press Operations - Working with the media
IOC Relations and Protocol - Liaising with Olympic Family
Athletics - Assisting at venues and the Village
Language Services - Translation

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee said:

"Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, and part of the DNA of thousands of people in this country. The 1948 Olympic Games in London saw the birth of the Games volunteer programme, and we are determined that London 2012 will be a wonderful opportunity for tens of thousands of people to help deliver the most spectacular games ever. We are equally determined to leave a lasting legacy for the voluntary sector in the UK, and are actively encouraging people to start volunteering now, and gain valuable skills and experience before we start recruiting and training volunteers for the Games in 2012. I urge anyone who wants to be part of the best Games ever to get out into their communities and make volunteering a part of their lives now."

Yousef (18) and Leila (15) commented: "We are so excited that the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are coming to London, and we want to be part of it. We hope to begin volunteering in our local communities as soon as we can to make sure we've got the right experience and the best possible chance of being selected as Games volunteers. We want to be part of the greatest show on earth here in London."

Register your interest in volunteering for the 2012 Games.

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For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100