IT IS not too late to get involved in volunteering for the 2012 sailing events in the borough.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games has now closed applications for its official London 2012 Games Maker volunteer programme, however the Dorset 2012 Operations Group will soon be launching a county-specific volunteering programme.

The Weymouth and Portland Ambassador (WPA) programme is the only officially- recognised volunteer scheme outside of the London 2012 Games Maker and the London Ambassador programme Up to 800 volunteers will be required for the WPA Programme and recruitment is will begin in late spring 2011.

All volunteers will be trained; wear officially branded uniforms and they will be recognised for their valuable 60 hours of commitment between July 26 until September 9 2012.

The WPA Programme vision is to provide a warm, friendly welcome to the world from Weymouth and Portland during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and successful volunteers will act as friendly and efficient hosts to visitors, offering assistance and com¬ municating useful, accurate, appropriate information in an engaging way.

David Fursdon, Chair of the South West England Board for the 2012 Games, said: “We want to encourage people not to wait until the Games, but to start volunteering now.

“There are plenty of ways they could already be making a difference in their local communities, either with the diverse range of organisations across the region looking for volunteers, or the many London 2012-inspired activities already happening across the region.”

Find out more at www.dorsetforyou.com/dorset2012