Name: Albert Summers

From: Weston super Mare

How long have you been collecting? Since July 2012

How many pins do you own? About 30

I was a volunteer meeting and greeting at Heathrow. A Swedish diver and his coach came through arrivals and needed some help. I stepped in and helped the best I could, well I guess I must have done something right as the coach said I must give you something for your help. I said to him that it was a pleasure and there was no need to do anything like that. He said that he had some team pins in his bag and that he would like me to have one. I said thank you and that would be great to have a pin from him. That is when the fun really started.

First of all he opened his rucksack and started looking through everything in there, but was unable to find the pins. He then got the diver to go through his things and still they could not find them. I wanted to make sure they got off to the Olympic Village stress free, so I said not to worry, but thank you for the gesture. The coach was insistent and said he really wanted me to have a pin and I did not want to argue so let him continue. Then all of a sudden he opened up his holdall and started to take everything out, it was full of Team Sweden Male diving trunks and other equipment, before I knew it they were all over the floor in the arrivals hall. I was very embarrassed by this time and tried again to say, look everything was ok they needed to get to the village and I did not really need to be given anything for helping them.

Then the coach suddenly pulled out this small plastic bag that had been right in the corner of his holdall. In it were lots of Team Sweden London 2012 pins. With a big smile he pulled a pin out of the bag and gave it to me. I was of course delighted, but still said to him that I needed to get him to his transport to the Olympic Village. He just threw everything back into his holdall and we rushed over to the waiting coach. I said a big thank you and wished both of them good luck.

The pin was given to me with such meaning and feeling, that it is something I will remember and treasure forever. It also kicked off an interest in pin collecting, but I doubt any pin will ever mean as much to me.