THE British stars of the Olympics and Paralympics enjoyed a richly deserved victory parade through the streets of London yesterday.

What the public do not get to see is the dedication that goes into winning medals over many years, on cold dark mornings, when the temptation to cut corners is never far away.

Our London 2012 heroes have earned their parade in the spotlight along with our thanks for bringing a much-needed feelgood factor to the country.

But one of the highlights of this summer, and one of the key reasons for Britain reflecting in such global glory, has nothing to do with those who won medals.

What we have seen, perhaps more than ever before, is the value of volunteering.

It has been at the heart of the London 2012 triumph and we must learn from it.

When David Cameron came into power with his Big Society mantra, there was scepticism and – to be frank – it has failed to capture the public’s imagination.

But where politics so frequently falls short in being able to inspire a nation, sport has the capacity to bring people together. It didn’t need a sound bite to make it work, it just needed an appeal to the better side of human nature.

People are willing to give their time and effort to feel part of something special. The Olympics and Paralympics were extremely rare events and it is clearly easier to make people feel special in such circumstances.

But there is an army of people out there already carrying out priceless work as volunteers, and many more with the potential to make a difference.

We hope one of the legacies of London 2012 is a fuller realisation of the power of volunteering.