STAFF at McDonald’s in Weymouth are celebrating their company’s new role in helping to encourage Olympic volunteers.

The fast food chain giant has joined forces with London Organising Comm-ittee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) to recruit and train helpers for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Staff in Weymouth’s two restaurants and Dorchester’s one premise are gearing up to take part in the ‘Games Maker’ programme, which was launched to mark the two-year countdown to the home event.

Up to 70,000 volunteers, known as Games Makers, are to be recruited nationwide in the biggest post-war volunteer recruitment campaign in the United Kingdom’s history.

Around 700 Games Makers are required to assist at the Olympic and Paralympic sailing events.

McDonald’s is sponsoring the programme and will be providing information about the scheme and how to get involved.

The food giant, together with LOCOG, will also select and train the diverse team of volunteers needed to make the 2012 Games a success.

Store manager at the Jubilee Retail Park restaurant, John Owen said: “There are numerous different things we’ll be doing to encourage residents.”

Borough mayor Paul Kimber welcomed McDonald’s involvement in the Game Makers scheme and is particularly keen to see young people take advantage of the opportunities.

He said: “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for Weymouth and Portland and the wider Dorset area – a lot of people will want to be involved in this.”

To find out about volunteering roles and the application process log on to london2012.com/volunteering