Pam Dickinson - a day in the life of a volunteer

In April 1993, I spotted an advert in the local paper asking for volunteer drivers to help out at the Island Games.  This sounded like such an interesting role; I picked up the phone immediately and registered my interest.  I attended many meetings during the run up to the games so that I could understand my role and find out which team I would be looking after.

I was given the small Island of Sark in the Channel Islands.  It was only a small team, which meant I would be with them all through the week of the games.  I was given a brand new Mazda to drive and a smart uniform to wear.  During the day I would take the team where they needed to be and in the evening accompanied the team to various social events. On one particular day I had such a hectic but enjoyable time driving all over the Island that when I got home I put pen to paper and described my day.  Thinking this may be of interest to the Games office I gave them a copy and lo and behold it appeared in the following day’s ‘On Your Marks’ newsletter.

This is an account of that day:-

I left home at 8 am and drove to Harcourt Sands, Ryde, to pick up a team member who needed to be at Godshill for the Clay Pigeon Shooting. I also picked up the Team Manager and Tennis Coach who needed to go to a meeting at County Hall, Newport.

Arriving back at Harcourt Sands I gave a Prince Edward Island lad a lift to Judo at Newchurch, also taking 2 lads from Sark who wanted to pop into the Games Office at Sandown first. The Sark lads then wanted to return to Harcourt Sands.

Midday I left Ryde to return to County Hall, meeting some of the other couriers for a chat and coffee. An hour later, the meeting was still not finished but I received a message that the Team Manager and Coach would be going to St Georges for a Reception so I could leave and return again to Ryde.

I then had to take the Games Press Office Reporter to the Freshwater swimming pool to interview Sharron Davies for 3pm, whilst on my way I had a call to pick my people up at St Georges. Luckily, as I couldn’t get there, they got a lift with the Orkney team.

Then I took the newssheets to the Savoy and Norton Grange and returned to pick the reporter up, it was around 4pm. I needed to be at Godshill to pick the Clay Pigeon Shooter at 4pm too! It was a bit of a rush, he needed to return to Ryde and the reporter to Sandown, so Sandown first then Ryde.

I then went home briefly, for a much needed short break, but then it was back to Harcourt Sands to pick up the Team Manager for a meeting at the Technical College, Newport. After picking him up later and returning him to Harcourt Sands I was able to go home!    

Sixteen years later, I still look back on that week with such fond memories.  The Sark team were so grateful for the driving I did for them that by the end of the week we were all firm friends.  Volunteering for the games increased my self esteem and confidence no end and I was definitely proud to be a part of the Island Games ’93.