London 2012

6th July 2005 was a day to remember with our Olympic Bid team winning in Singapore bringing home the Olympic & Paralympic Games back to England, I remember rushing all the way to Stratford Station to see the live announcement from work.  It was really moving to see TV Cameras and lights light up the square at the bottom of the stairs which now lead into Westfield Stratford City. Large screens also had live pictures from Singapore and Trafalgar Square where people were also anticipating the announcement. We could all see the faces of the delegation team including Tessa Jowell. Finally the moment came when Dr Jacques Rogge had the magic envelope in his hand and everyone went silent. He opened it and said "London" everyone went crazy jumping around dancing, on the live feed from Singapore I could see Tessa Jowell and the delegation team overjoyed and some in tears that we won the Bid to host the Olympics again.

This day was a day to remember and shaped my future goals living in London, what inspired me the most was the Paralympics were coming home back to England.  I was really inspired with the support the government was giving people like me some support in finding job security with disability work related rules supporting disabled people at work, I was really excited and continued to find work in 2005, I remember working on the Olympic Site in Stratford now known as Stratford International, my post was working in the post room on the Euro Tunnel Project, this was one amazing job to know that I was part of the construction team, walking through a construction site down a side alley of what was the old Stratford Station to get to the Euro Tunnel Site, when I arrived there I was shocked to see massive construction work of tunnelling, my manageress was very strict and I found her very intimidating an English lady who had worked in Honk Kong and could speak Mandarin, she wanted everything done her way , you could see it on her face.

After a year I decided that due to my medical condition that it would be more appropiate for me to support my local community in the lead up to the Olympic Games by volunteering at Newham Council, the roles I got were interesting and I managed to meet various people from all backgrounds trough the period of my volunteering upto the Olympics.  I spent time doing surveys for my local council on most big events in the borough collecting information about how local people felt about the olympics and local services in Newham.  I remember Habs my manager would say you have done allot of surveys, I said yes I love talking to people and I do and I did speak to many people doing the surveys, it made me feel that I was making a positive contribution towards my local community in Newham.  I was very surprised to find my picture in the Newham magazine on many ocassions including the special edition for the Olympic Legacy Newham Magazine in 2012.

I really felt like things were moving on.  In 2010 the Games Makers application process had begin and people could apply to become a Games Maker.  I applied for both Olympic & Paralympic Games.  During the period I thought I would be really great if I could get employed on the games as the government was really supporting disabled people.  A position came up in Transport so I applied and the salary was attractive too.