The games: Our part in their huge success (From Evesham Journal)

The games: Our part in their huge success

11:00am Thursday 13th September 2012 in News

AS the country begins to recover from the excitement of the Olympics and Paralympics, a Vale man can regard his mission as complete. When former Royal Marine Arthur Williams, of Aston Somerville, was chosen to be a presenter for the Paralympics he vowed to change the mindset of people about the games. “It was epic and one of the proudest moments of my life,” said Mr Williams, who was paralysed below the waist in a car crash in 2007. “I hope it will carry on now. We have raised the bar of broadcasting Paralympic sport and no-one can fall below that.

“Everybody did such a great job. We didn’t know how the public would react.

But the public just went crazy for it. For the first time demand for the Paralympics has outdone supply.”

The 26-year-old fully qualified pilot, wheelchair racer and hand cyclist said the best moment of the games was watching his friend and fellow wheelchair racer Mickey Bushell set a new record in the T53 100m.

“He is a lad I used to train with and know personally,” he said. “It was a very emotional experience.”

􀁥 A WOMAN from Evesham has spoken of her “unforgettable” experiences as a Games Maker during the Olympics.

Ruth Bull, aged 73, of Burford Gardens, was a member of the dispatch team at the Fleet Depot, where 900 BMWs were dispatched to ferry dignitaries and officials.

Mrs Bull did 10 eight-hour shifts over five weeks – and was even given tickets for the technical rehearsal for the opening ceremony and athletics as a perk of the job.

“Perhaps the most memorable for me was having the privilege of wearing that uniform.

“Travelling into London on the tube each time to do my shift it never failed to attract the attention of fellow travellers and complete strangers. ”