London calling for Red Cross member

Gera Jellema has the full confidence of her proud friends in the local Red Cross contingent as she looks forward to flying out for a three-week tour of duty on already crowded streets packed tighter with Games fans from all over the world.

“Gera will not be on duty at the Games themselves,” explained Dromore Red Cross Group Leader Hazel Watson. “They have their own specialist teams for that.

“Organisers asked for outside help with all the other points needing to be covered - there will be quite a lot of crowd control involved during the Games - so Gera will be employed at busy points in London, such as busy junctions and Underground stations.”

A Dutch native who has lived and worked in Northern Ireland for some years now, Gera is taking annual leave from her place of employment to play her part in the vast support effort surrounding the Olympics.

It was after her arrival in Dromore that Gera decided to take up First-Aid.

“She has been a member of Dromore Red Cross for four or five years now,” said Hazel. “She wanted to volunteer and decided to join the Red Cross.

“She did her First Aid training with us and now volunteers for First Aid duties.”

When the word went out via the Red Cross that volunteers were being sought to help out in London, Gera applied and was accepted.

She is now very much looking forward to the experience, which will take her to London from July 28 until August 12.

All her friends at Dromore Red Cross have no doubt whatsoever that Gera is ready for whatever comes her way.

“She is very much up to the task,” said Hazel. “She’s a very capable person and we are all happy that she will be representing us there.”