Olympic volunteers return

Team London Ambassadors, who volunteered throughout the Olympics, have returned to the streets of the capital today.

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What's planned for volunteer force?

A group of Olympic Volunteers dancing.
A group of Olympic volunteers dance during a flash-mob at the Eurostar terminal in St Pancras. Credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire

During the Olympics, 8,000 Team London volunteers were deployed across the city, in major transport hubs and tourist hotspots, to welcome visitors to London.

Now, Boris Johnson hopes to build on the success of that programme, by using volunteers "as an additional resource for large scale events".

Today, the first pilot scheme begins at St Pancras Station, with Team London Ambassadors providing a warm welcome to international visitors arriving on the Eurostar.

This will be followed by a series of other projects, which will see ambassadors:

  • helping tourists arriving at events at the 02 arena in Greenwich.

  • welcoming visitors during busy periods at Gatwick Airport.

  • selling poppies to raise money for the Royal British Legion.

  • at Saracens Rugby Club home games when the team returns to London in the New Year.

Eurostar 'delighted' to see volunteers back at station

"We are delighted to see the return of the Ambassadors to London St. Pancras International, to offer visitors arriving by Eurostar a warm welcome to London for the half term break. We were very impressed with the positive impact that this service had in our arrivals hall during Games time, and fully expect this pilot to be a tremendous success for us, for visitors to London and for the Ambassadors taking part."

– Eurostar spokesman Stephen Fielder

Volunteer power 'will boost London's reputation'

The Mayor's Senior Advisor for Volunteering, Charities and Sponsorship, Veronica Wadley, said:

"2012 has been an extraordinary year for London and the achievement of hosting the Games has shown what a terrific welcome we can give visitors. With the help of the Team London Ambassadors and other volunteering programmes, we want to build on the city's reputation for being able to deliver the most fantastic place in the world to visit."

– Veronica Wadley, The Mayors Senior Advisor for Team London, Volunteering, Charities and Sponsorship.

Boris: we'll build on the success of Olympic volunteers

"One of the undoubted highlights of the summer was the fantastic community spirited, magenta and pink clad Ambassadors, who gave up their time to welcome the world. I am delighted that we have delivered on our promise to build on the remarkable success of the volunteers during the Games with the expansion of the Ambassadors Programme.

"Armed with guides and information about the city, they are brilliantly placed to tempt visitors and Londoners alike with the smorgasbord of world class shops, theatres and restaurants that are on offer."

– Mayor of London, Boris Johnson

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Olympic volunteers stage flash mob

Team London Ambassadors dance at St Pancras station.
Team London Ambassadors dance at St Pancras station. Credit: London Tonight.

Team London Ambassadors - the volunteers who helped make the London 2012 Olympics such a success - staged a flash mob dance in St Pancras station today.

It's the first time the volunteers have returned since the end of the Games - but the Mayor of London is hoping it won't be the last.

Boris Johnson is planning to harness the volunteer manpower in a long-term programme, with initial pilots taking place over the next two weeks.

Team London Ambassadors.
The volunteers will be welcoming visitors arriving at St Pancras Station. Credit: London Tonight.