London Olympics 2012

Cultural Olympiad kicks off with Open Weekend

2008-09-04T16:55:00Z

On 26-28 September, over 500 events will take place around the UK - kicking off the four-year Cultural Olympiad.

The event, called Open Weekend, will offer the public the chance to go behind the scenes at over 160 cultural organisations.

The weekend is designed to give people a preview of the depth of talent and creativity that will take place over the coming years.

Inspired by the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Pierre de Coubertin’s idea of a marriage of sport and the arts, the Cultural Olympiad is designed to celebrate Olympic and Paralympic values in the cultural field.

The London 2012 Games are not just about sport. They will also celebrate cultures, people and languages – in London, the UK and around the world.

Our four-year Cultural Olympiad kicks off on September 26-28 with a huge range of inspirational programmes. Working closely with colleagues throughout the arts and heritage world, we will push cultural projects to their limits. And beyond

New opportunities are being created to inspire young people and encourage participation from communities across the UK and around the world.

The Cultural Olympiad divides into three sections:
1. Ceremonies - extraordinary live spectacles watched on television by one in three people around the world.

2. Major projects – A number of major cultural projects featured in the London 2012 bid, forming the backbone of the Cultural Olympiad.

3. Inspire mark projects – local and regional events featuring in our UK-wide celebration.

Jonathan Edwards appointed as Deputy Chair of Nations and Regions Group

2008-09-04T16:50:00Z

Jonathan Edwards has been announced as Deputy Chair of the London 2012 Nations and Regions Group, to further enhance the profile and reach of the Group’s work.

Jonathan, the Triple Jump World Record holder and Olympic Gold Medallist, is also a member of the Board of Directors of the London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and heads LOCOG’s Sports Advisory Group. Amongst other activities, he is a Trustee of the Newcastle United Football Foundation, a Director of the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, and is a BBC commentator and presenter.

Supporting Charles Allen CBE, Chair of the Nations and Regions Group, Jonathan will undertake high-profile visits and speaking engagements in each of the nine English Regions as well as Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. He will also lead on another core part of the Group’s work – the briefings to Members of Parliament and the Devolved Adminstrations on the regional involvement, benefits and opportunities that the 2012 Games offer.

The London 2012 Nations and Regions Group is the organisation set up during the bidding phase to achieve maximum engagement in and benefit from the London 2012 Games across the UK. The group focuses its efforts on social, economic and sporting outcomes.

This year alone, the Nations and Regions Group has had significant input into and results derived from the launch and roll out of the London 2012 Business Network; the delivery of the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide; assisting with the organisation and delivery of the UK Handover celebrations from Beijing to London in August.

The representatives on the Nations and Regions Group also play an integral part of realising the benefits in their areas of two forthcoming and enormous opportunities for their constituent areas – the four-year Cultural Olympiad and the London 2012 Education programme.

Jonathan outlined the vision for his role: 'It is an honour to take up this new position as we enter the four year run up to the 2012 Games. Helping to strengthen the profile and reach of the Nations and Regions Group at this time when the involvement opportunities step up a gear is a huge privilege as I am committed to playing my part in ensuring a UK wide legacy from the Games and inspiring young people to take up sport.'

'The Nations and Regions Group is the key to ensuring that people right across the nation are able get involved in the Games in whichever way they choose - whether this be through the business, employment, sporting, cultural and educational opportunities or nearer to the summer of 2012 as volunteers and spectators.'

Charles Allen welcomed Jonathan to the Nations and Regions team: 'Jonathan’s experience as a world-class athlete, sports ambassador, LOCOG Board Member together with his involvement in the voluntary sector means he is perfectly placed to assist with and respond to the Nations and Regions Group’s remit to drive the benefits of the London 2012 Games across the UK. I wish him every success in his new role.'

Already active in supporting the work of the Nations and Regions group, Jonathan begins work in this new role with immediate effect, with his first engagement tomorrow, Thursday 4 September, to formally launch the London 2012 Business Network to over 200 Scottish businesses at a special event at Hampden Park.

Olympic Stadium begins to rise out of the ground

2008-08-27T15:58:00Z

Progress on the London 2012 Olympic Park became clearly visible this week as new images reveal the columns of the Olympic Stadium emerging from the ground.

Over 100 columns, each five meters tall, have already been constructed and act as the support for the podium of the Stadium’s west and south stands. This also forms the lower ground floor of the west stand which houses the athletes' changing rooms, a 60 metre long call track and other back of house facilities such as doping control and treatment rooms.

The work to create the foundations for the Olympic Stadium is also nearing completion with over 3,500 of the 4,000 permanent piles already installed.

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: 'As the eyes of the world turn from Beijing to London, they will see that real progress is being made to create the new venues and infrastructure for the 2012 Games.

'As these new images show, the Olympic Stadium is already beginning to rise out of the ground and over the coming months, we will begin to see the size and scale of this flagship venue. There is still a long way to go and we are not complacent about the challenges ahead, but we have made a strong start out of the blocks.'

In May this year, construction started on the Stadium site three months earlier than originally planned and was witnessed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Eight tower cranes, each between 48 and 60 meters high, have also now all been erected in the Stadium ‘bowl’ for the concrete work and steel and roof erection.

The work is also now underway on the abutments that support the first of the five pedestrian footbridges over waterways that surround the Stadium site. During the Games the bridge will be one of the main connections for spectators to and from the Stadium to the east of the Olympic Park.

A pre-cast concrete batching plant has been set up on the south part of the Olympic Stadium site to cast almost 200 rakers, the concrete structures that will support the seating units for the lower 25,000 permanent seats. The concrete will be supplied from the batching plant on the Olympic Park site which will reduce vehicle movements in the local area.

UK ready for Handover

2008-08-23T09:08:00Z

Millions of people around the UK will celebrate the moment the Olympic Games are officially handed over from Beijing to London, on Sunday 24 August.

The Handover will take place in Beijing with an eight-minute segment during the Closing Ceremony when the flag is passed from the Mayor of Beijing to the Mayor of London. David Beckham, Leona Lewis and Led Zeppelin guitarist will star in the show.

Around 40,000 people will gather on The Mall to watch it live and then enjoy the Visa London 2012 Party featuring top acts and special Olympic stars.

Giant screens in every nation and region in the UK will screen the Handover and the party, which will also be broadcast to millions on BBC One and Radio 2. The crowds will be encouraged to be in full voice with a special ‘Sing the Nation’ event.

In addition, special Handover Flags will be raised in over 400 local authorities to mark the moment.

Read more about Handover and find an event in your area

Work powers ahead on Olympic Park utilities infrastructure

2008-08-22T10:05:00Z

Huge progress is being made in constructing the new utilities infrastructure that will form the ‘backbone’ of the Olympic Park, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) announced today.

Construction work is well underway on a new Primary Electrical Substation that will supply electricity to the 2.5sq km Olympic Park and the Stratford City development in Games time and in legacy. The electrical substation is being built by EDF Energy construction and piling works on the substation have now been completed with more than 200 piles driven up to 19 metres into the ground to form the foundations for the building. Work is now underway on the main structure of the building with construction due to be completed by summer 2009.

Work is also starting on site this week on the Energy Centre that will provide an efficient power, heating and cooling system across Olympic Park site for the Games and for the new buildings and communities that will develop after 2012. The contract to build, finance and operate the energy centre was awarded to Elyo, a subsidiary of SUEZ Energy Services, in July. The site of the energy centre has now been cleaned and cleared and Elyo are now on site, testing and surveying the site and installing a piling mat which will allow around 200 piles to be sunk up to 24 metres into the ground in the coming weeks to form the foundations of the building.

ODA Chairman, John Armitt, said: 'These utility networks and infrastructure will power the long-term development of the Olympic Park for many years to come so with construction work well underway, we are building for Games and legacy together from the very beginning.

'The Energy Centre and Electrical Substation will form the heart of the new utilities infrastructure and will be joined by the new utilities networks to form the backbone of the Olympic Park. The progress being made in constructing these essential works is a significant step forwards.'

The Electrical Substation and Energy Centre will be located in Kings Yard in the west of the Olympic Park and sustainability is at the heart of the design and construction plans. The energy centre will include biomass boilers using sustainable biomass fuels (woodchip) and gas to generate heat, and a Combined Cooling Heat and Power (CCHP) plant to capture the heat generated by electricity production. The site-wide heat network will be used to generate domestic hot water and to heat the Aquatics Centre swimming pools and other venues and buildings.

The construction of the electrical substation will reuse crushed materials from the demolition of the former Kings Yard buildings in the Olympic Park. The building has also been designed to include a ‘brown roof’ which involves crushed materials laid down on a flat roof which allow species to colonise naturally. The brown roof will help enhance the ecological value and biodiversity of the Olympic Park site by attracting local wildlife including black redstarts, a rare bird that thrives on brownfield land.

A clear emphasis has also been put on the architectural designs of the electrical substation and the energy centre to ensure that both structures fit in with the design of the wider Olympic Park.

The electrical substation has been designed by NORD Architecture, a Glasgow-based practice that won the prestigious Young Architect of the Year Award in 2006. The substation design is for a dark brick building which is intended to create a sense of solidity appropriate to the building’s role as a key part of the utilities infrastructure in the Olympic Park. The use of dark brick in the designs also reflects the traditional use of dark brick stock as window and corner details on the former Kings Yard industrial buildings on the site where the new substation will be built.

The energy centre has been designed by John McAslan & Partners. Part of the utilities infrastructure will be housed within an existing Edwardian building at Kings Yard in the west of the Olympic Park which will be retained and renovated. The Energy Centre design is sustainable and flexible to allow future technologies to be used within the centre as they are developed in years to come.

Red Arrows to top off London’s Olympic Handover celebrations

2008-08-20T16:16:00Z

The skies over Buckingham Palace will be turned red, white and blue this Sunday as the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows perform a spectacular fly by as part of the UK-wide celebrations to mark the special handover moment when London becomes the official Summer Olympic Games Host City.

A crowd of 40,000 who are expected to gather in the Mall for the Visa London 2012 Party as well as millions more watching at home live on BBC1 or via the network of giant screens across the country will witness the unmistakable formation of the nine Red Arrow Hawk jets as they entertain crowds 1500ft above the ground racing as fast as 800 mph across the capital.

The Visa London 2012 Party hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Matt Baker will include performances by multi-million album selling artists including The Feeling, Il Divo, Katherine Jenkins, McFly, Will Young, James Morrison, Scouting for Girls, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Heather Small, and the cast of We Will Rock You. Olympians including Dame Mary Peters, Roger Black, Sally Gunnell, Jason Gardener, and Sharron Davies will also be in attendance.

This is not the first time the Red Arrows have been involved in celebrations around the Olympic Games; they also staged a fly past over Trafalgar Square when London won the Olympic bid in 2005. The acrobatic display team, the public face of the Royal Air Force, is renowned across the world for its spectacular displays. Since forming they have visited 53 countries and taken part in 4,000 shows.

Olympics Minister, Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP commented: 'I am absolutely delighted that the Red Arrows will be part of the UK-wide celebrations to mark the moment when London becomes the official Summer Olympic Host City. It will be a truly historic moment and a fly past by the Red Arrows will round off what we hope will be a fantastic day on the Mall and an exciting weekend of celebrations across the whole country. We have always hoped that the Red Arrows will play a part in the London 2012 celebrations and what better way to start our four year journey to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games than with one of their unique air displays.'

London 2012 Chair Sebastian Coe commented: 'In the same way the Red Arrows captured the mood of the nation when London won the Olympic bid on 6th July 2005, when they flew over Travalgar Square, I have no doubt they will do so once again on August 24th, a remarkable day in the UK’s history. It is about marking a moment in time, a moment when the eyes of the world will turn towards London when the Beijing Olympic Games close and the focus turns to the next Olympic Games Summer Host City. I hope the atmosphere on the Mall and across the entire UK will be electric – it is a very proud moment for us. We want people to be inspired and enthused by this unique occasion, and to share in the magic of the Games coming to London 2012.'
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Red 1, Wing Commander Jas Hawker, commented: 'As the Commanding Officer of the Red Arrows I am extremely proud that the Team has been given the opportunity to fly over London as part of the Olympic Games Handover Ceremony.

'The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will truly be a memorable event for everybody in this country, showcasing the UK to millions of people all over the world. The Red Arrows represent both the excellence of the Royal Air Force and the best of British. It's a great honour to be involved and something that both myself and my fellow team members feel absolutely privileged to play a part in.'

Featuring unique collaborations and specially-arranged performances, some with a sporting theme, the show from the Mall will link up with the Beijing 2008 Olympic Closing Ceremony at which London Mayor Boris Johnson will be symbolically handed the Olympic Games flag, officially marking the start of London’s tenure as Summer Olympic Host City in front of a worldwide audience estimated to be around 1.5 billion.

The show is for ticket holders only and all the tickets have already been allocated. People all across the country will be able to watch the spectacular show via the UK’s largest-ever network of public giant screens, known as ‘Live Sreens’*. These sites will become the hub of activity for communities centred around the Handover moment – be it sport, music or dance and will include a mass sing-a-long as part of the 'Sing The Nation' programme.
The Beijing Games will be the first ever 24/7 Games. BBC Television will broadcast more than 2,750 hours of coverage, giving viewers access to live coverage, the latest news updates regardless of the time of day and where they are, through the BBC's extensive TV, radio, online, mobile and BBC iPlayer services.

Red Arrows

The Red Arrows promote the professional excellence of the Royal Air Force, assist in recruiting into the Royal Air Force, contribute to Defence Diplomacy, and support wider British interests through the promotion of British industry overseas.
Commanded by Wing Commander Jas Hawker, the Red Arrows consists of over 100 officers and airmen drawn from throughout the Royal Air Force. Officially formed on 1 March 1965, the Red Arrows are based at Royal Air Force Scampton in Lincolnshire.

All nine Red Arrows display pilots are fast jet pilots from front-line Royal Air Force squadrons. In 2008, the Team has pilots from all four front-line fast jet types; Jaguar GR3, Tornado GR4, Tornado F3 and Harrier GR9. To apply for selection to the Red Arrows, pilots must have amassed a minimum of 1,500 flying hours, one front-line tour and be assessed as above average in role.

Reds 1 to 5 form the front section known as ‘Enid’, and Reds 6 to 9 are known as ‘Gypo’. The Synchro Pair, Reds 6 and 7, perform the highly popular, dynamic manoeuvres during the second half of the display sequence. There is one other qualified Hawk pilot: Red 10, who flies a tenth Hawk aircraft to display venues ready for use in case one of the other nine becomes unserviceable. Red 10’s two primary roles on the ground at every display are acting as the Team’s Safety Officer, maintaining two-way radio contact with the Team Leader throughout the display and as Team Commentator.

Typically, more than 300 requests for Red Arrows’ displays are received annually but only about 75 can ever be fitted into the programme. The Team also complete many flypasts each year as they transit from display to display

London 2012 has always been keen to use the Red Arrows in their celebrations going forward, as they did when they won the bid on 6th July 2005.

New artists and hosts confirmed for Olympic Handover Celebrations, Visa Party

2008-08-19T13:18:00Z

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Heather Small and the cast of 'We Will Rock You' have been announced by London 2012 as the final line-up joining the performers at the Visa London 2012 Party on The Mall on Sunday 24 August, as part of the UK-wide Olympic Handover Celebrations.

Hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Matt Baker, Olympians including Dame Mary Peters, Roger Black, Sally Gunnell, Jason Gardener, and Sharron Davies will also attend to help mark the moment when London becomes the official Summer Olympic City.

On 24 August 40,000 people will gather in The Mall to watch performances from multi-million-selling artists including The Feeling, Il Divo, Katherine Jenkins, McFly, Will Young, James Morrison, Scouting for Girls, and now by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Heather Small, and the cast of We Will Rock You.

Featuring unique collaborations and specially arranged performances, some with a sporting theme, the show from the Mall will link up with the Beijing 2008 Olympic Closing Ceremony at which London Mayor Boris Johnson will be symbolically handed the Olympic flag, officially marking the start of London’s tenure as Summer Host City in front of a worldwide audience estimated to be around 1.5 billion.

Tickets have already been allocated via a ballot, which was oversubscribed, but the public will be able to watch the performances via the UK’s largest-ever network of public giant screens, known as ‘Live Sites’. The event will also be broadcast live to the rest of the nation on BBC One and BBC Radio 2.

London 2012 Organising Committee Chairman Sebastian Coe said: 'At approximately 2.30pm UK time, on the afternoon of 24 August the Olympic Flag will pass from the Mayor of Beijing to the Mayor of London in the Olympic Stadium in Beijing and the eyes of the world will turn to us. This will be a thrilling moment.'

Colin Grannell, Executive Vice-President, Partnership Marketing at Visa Europe, said: 'As a global supporter of the Olympic Games for more than two decades we at Visa are proud to sponsor an historic and memorable event for people to celebrate the return of the Games to London after sixty years.'

Sophie Ellis-Bextor said: 'It is such an honour to be performing at this event. This is such a big occasion and I am very excited about the Paralympic Olympic Games and Summer Olympic Games coming to London.'

Heather Small said: 'Helping to mark the moment when London becomes the official host city for the next Summer Olympic Games is very exciting, and I'm delighted to be a part of it.'

Sally Gunnell said: 'To see the Olympic Games come to London is a childhood dream, and I am very excited about the Olympic Handover Celebrations happening in The Mall.'

Jason Gardener said: 'I think the celebrations on Sunday 24 August will be fantastic, and a great way to announce to the world that London is hosting the next Summer Olympic Games.'

The Beijing Games will be the first ever 24/7 Olympic Games. BBC Television will broadcast more than 2,750 hours of coverage, giving viewers access to live coverage, the latest news updates regardless of the time of day and where they are, through the BBC's extensive TV, radio, online, mobile and BBC iPlayer services.

Screen breakdown

Live site permanent screens are located in Manchester, Rotherham, Bradford, Derby, Swindon, Liverpool, Birmingham, Hull, Leeds, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Norwich, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Cardiff, Bristol, Cumbria and Waltham Forest. This project is a unique collaboration between LOCOG, its partners in the project the Olympic Lottery Distributor, Lloyds TSB, BT, the cities and the BBC. Live site screens will be used during the Games and for Handover.

Additional screens will be erected for the 2008 Games in Canary Wharf (London) and Leicester.

Further screens will also be operating for the handover day in Belfast, Glasgow, Notting Hill, Weymouth, Hackney, Greenwich, Coventry, Kettering, Southend-on-Sea, Herne Bay, Tower Hamlets and Great Yarmouth and other areas funded by local authorities and organisations.

Sing the Nation

A festival to unite the UK in song this August: all kinds of people singing all kinds of music in all kinds of places. There will be singing in museums, libraries, parks abbeys and city centres. All events are participatory. Museum events range from Songs of London at the Museum of London to Sing Yorkshire in Rotherham.

Sing the Nation culminates on August 24th’Olympic Handover ceremonies when regions across the UK will hold mass city sings led by community choirs. From Glasgow to Cardiff, people across the UK will lift their voices. The result is expected to be the UK’s biggest singalong.

Each city will sing one regional song which connects to that location: Danny Boy in Ulster…I do like to be beside the seaside in Blackpool; Derby Ram in Derby…. Delila in Swansea… Maybe it’s Because I’m a Londoner in Walthamstow and Greenwich.

Cities taking part in the City sings include: Middlesbrough; Glasgow; Portsmouth; Manchester; Norwich; Hull; Bradford; Coventry; Derby; Birmingham; Swansea; London; Leicester; Blackpool.

Sing the Nation is delivered by Sing London, a not for profit company who delivered Sing London in 2007. Sing the Nation is supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation, LOCOG and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Olympic Handover Flag

414 Local Authorities throughout the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands will be flying the Olympic Handover Flags to celebrate the moment when London becomes the next Summer Olympic Host City, on Sunday 24th August.

Olympic Handover Flags will be flown at MOD/Service locations in: Royal Artillery Barracks Woolwich, Mitcham Road Barracks in Croydon, School of Physical Training in Aldershot and Colchester Garrison.

Olympic Handover Flags will be flown at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Overseas Missions in : Abuja, Addis Abba, Ankara, Astana Bangkok , Banjul ,Berlin , Beijing, Boston ,Brasilia, Brussels , Bridgetown Canberra, Cape Town, Chicago , Colombo, Dakar, Dar Es Salaam, Doha, Dushanbe, Gabarone, Havana, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kabul, Kingston, Kolkata, Latvia, Lisbon, Lima, Lilongwe, Luxembourg, Luanda, Lusaka, Madrid, Montserrat, Mexico City, Montevideo, Munich, Muscat Nairobi, New Delhi, New York, Panama City, Port Moresby Quito, Reykjavik, Rio, Sao Paulo, Santiago, Seoul, Singapore, Shanghai, Stockholm, St Petersburg, Suva, Tokyo, Valleta, Vancouver, Victoria, Wellington, Yaounde, and Yerevan.

Olympic Handover Flags will be flown at the British Councils offices in: Bahrain, England, Ghana, India, Jordan, Japan, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Thailand, Taiwan and Venezuela.

Heroes parade for Beijing 2008 athletes

2008-08-19T09:05:00Z

Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes will be welcomed home with a heroes parade on Thursday 16 October.

The parade was announced today by Mayor of London Boris Johnson, alongside the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association.

Further details will be announced in due course.

The Mayor said: 'Just over half way through the Beijing Games and Team GB has put in one of its best ever performances.

'In September our Paralympians will I hope return from Beijing having achieved similar success.

'So to reflect the excitment and pride of the country in our athletes’ superb victories we’ve set a date in the diary now when we can cheer all our heroes and honour their extraordinary feats at this summer's Games.'

London showcases Britain’s sporting credentials

2008-08-16T11:28:00Z

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) hosted a reception at the British Ambassador’s residence in Beijing yesterday to launch the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide.

The event was hosted by Sebastian Coe, Chair of London 2012, British Olympic Association chairman Lord Moynihan, VisitBritain chief executive Tom Wright and Olympics Minister Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP and was attended by representatives from over 100 National Olympic Committees from all over the world, as well as representatives from more than half of the International Sports Federations.

The Pre-Games Training Camp Guide contains over 600 sporting venues and facilities throughout the UK which met the standards required to host teams and athletes in the run up to the Games in 2012. Published online, the Guide outlines different venues from all over the country which are suitable training bases for each of the 26 Olympic sports in 2012 as teams prepare for the Games. Developed by LOCOG and VisitBritain, the website showcases the quality and variety of sport facilities in the UK capable of hosting elite athletes. National Olympic Committees choosing to base their athletes at one of these training camps will receive a financial award of up to £25,000 from LOCOG to assist with expenses.

London 2012 Chair Sebastian Coe said: 'We said that we wanted the London Games to be for athletes, and the facilities listed in this Guide will really help overseas athletes prepare well. It also provides a great opportunity for towns throughout the UK to get involved in our plans.

'The process we have been through shows a great spread of high quality facilities throughout the UK that can be used by elite level athletes. The new website will continue to be an asset to keep an up-to-date log of the elite facilities we have across the UK.'

Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister, said: 'This was the UK united in its determination to make the most of the opportunities offered by hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is about non-stop action to make 2012 Games for all the UK - taking the initiative in selling the high-class sports facilities available right across the country to foreign teams and international sports federations.'

Simon Clegg, Chef de Mission of Team GB, said: 'The BOA is delighted to have worked in cooperation with VisitBritain and LOCOG to host our fellow NOCs at tonight's event - to mark the launch of the Pre-Games Training Camp Guide. Pre-Games preparation camps are a critical factor in the success of Team GB and the facilities available throughout the UK will greatly assist our fellow NOCs a they prepare for the London Games.'

VisitBritain chief executive, Tom Wright says: 'Britain is a sporting nation: potential visitors rank us 5th out of 38 countries for excelling at sport. Our reputation has been earned in part by the popularity of our world-renowned events and venues at destinations in every nation and region.

'The Beijing Olympic Games is a wonderful opportunity for us to assist the nations and regions of Britain in gaining an insight into what they can expect in 2012. It is a chance for them to showcase their locations to decision makers from the world’s Olympic and sporting organisations, presenting first-hand a flavour of the character and assets of their destinations and the excellence of their sporting facilities so that we can win more tourism business for Britain.'

The event was also attended by representatives from Northern Ireland, Wales and the nine of the English regions of the UK - East of England, East Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West, Yorkshire and London, many of whom are part of a delegation led by VisitBritain to promote Britain to a global audience as host nation of the 2012 Games.

VisitBritain showed the assembled guests a new film that promotes Britain’s sporting heritage and will be used to inspire consumers worldwide online at www.visitbritain.com and by the travel trade and media at events, conferences and exhibitions, and in presentations and seminars. It aims to tap into the 41 per cent of potential visitors to Britain who would be very likely to watch a football match if they were to visit and the one in three who watch another sport like tennis, rugby or horseracing. It showcases an exciting and inspiring, modern, 21st century destination with a strong sporting heritage and culture and aims to inspire people to want to visit Britain and ‘be a part of it’.

Flying the flag for London 2012

2008-08-15T17:47:00Z

On 24 August, more than 400 flags will be raised the length and breadth of the United Kingdom to mark the moment we become the next host of the Summer Games.

Flags will be raised at places including Local Government Buildings, Army Barracks, Whitehall Departments.

They will also fly at the points furthest north, south, east and west in the UK.

Outside the UK, the flag will be flown at overseas missions from Vancouver to Tokyo.

This activity will follow the moment when London Mayor Boris Johnson is symbolically handed the Olympic Flag, officially marking the start of London’s tenure as Summer Olympic Host City.

London 2012 Organising Committee Chair Sebastian Coe said: 'When the Mayor of London accepts the Olympic Flag on 24 August, the eyes of the world will turn to London and the UK as the next Summer Host City.

'It is a very important and exciting moment for us, and we want as many people as possible to join in the Handover celebrations. We are delighted that so many local authorities share our excitement and are proudly displaying the Handover Flag to mark this very special moment on our journey to 2012.'

Benefits from London 2012 transport improvements will be felt two years ahead of the Games

2008-08-13T11:10:00Z

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has published a document which shows that residents and commuters will benefit from major London 2012 transport projects as early as 2010.

The plans are outlined in 'pace', the second in a series of progress reports on 2012 transport planning, which explains how the ODA is investing £500m in infrastructure to develop and deliver transport facilities that are needed before, during and beyond the 2012 Games.

The ODA’s investment will leave the UK and London with a range of new transport assets, including new trains, platforms, lifts and bigger stations for commuters. There will also be wider benefits, such new transport hubs for deprived areas of London, an increase in the number of people using a wider range of public transport and encouraging more active lifestyles by promoting walking and cycling.

Work that will be finished well before the Games includes includes:

trebling capacity and improving accessibility at Stratford Regional station, with work finished by the end of 2010;
a three-car instead of two-car train service on the DLR to boost on-board capacity by 50 per cent on the majority of the network by 2010;
completion of the new DLR extension to Woolwich Arsenal in February next year; and
projects from the £10m to deliver new and improved walking and cycling routes.

The ODA’s investment will complement the extensive transport projects across London and the UK that are being taken forward by the ODA’s delivery partners. From the first phase of the Thameslink project and work to boost capacity on the Jubilee Line by 25 per cent, to improvements to the East London Line and a new western concourse at Kings Cross Station, this work will provide significant long-term benefits to commuters.

ODA Director of Transport Hugh Sumner said: 'The Games will be the catalyst for improved transport links, which are needed to support revitalised communities and future generations in London long after 2012. Stratford Regional Station, for example, currently has 37,000 daily commuters during the morning peak, and we predict that this will rise to 83,000 by 2016. Commuters will benefit from our capacity and accessibility enhancements to the station two years before the Games.

'Ranging from a new DLR station in Stratford to improved transport coordination across the UK, there is no doubt that the Games will deliver unprecedented transport improvements for London long after 2012.'

Peter Hendy, Commissioner for Transport for London said: 'We are getting on with delivering better public transport, cycling and walking facilities well before 2012.

'In the year ahead there are milestones in the upgrade of the Tube, the East London line and the DLR extensions to Woolwich Arsenal and Stratford International as well as for cycling and walking. Together this will increase the capacity, reliability and security of the network so that we are ready to host the 2012 Games and meet the future needs of London.'

Team GB celebrate first medals

2008-08-12T12:21:00Z

Team GB has made a great start ot the Beijing Games winning two gold medals, one silver and a bronze.

Cyclist Nicole Cooke brought home the team's first medal of 2008 and Team GB’s 200th gold medal from the modern Olympic Games. Welsh competitor Cooke powered her way to victory in the Women's Road Race.

Nineteen-year-old Rebecca Adlington won gold in the 400 meteres freestyle event, seizing the lead in the final seconds to win it at the wall. Adlington shared the podium with team-mate Joanne Jackson who swam a perfectly-paced race to win bronze.

Rebecca said: 'We are both so happy to have two British girls on the podium. I don't think either of us expected it and especially a gold and a bronze, it's absolutely amazing.'

This morning canoeist David Florence claimed a silver for Team GB in the C1 single Slalom. He said: 'It’s been a long, long time coming and means everything to me.'

New Mountain Biking venue in Essex confirmed for the London 2012 Games

2008-08-12T08:19:00Z

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today confirmed that subject to final contract negotiations, the venue for the Mountain Biking events will be at Hadleigh Farm, Essex.

The alternative site was chosen following the decision in January 2008 to move the competition away from The Weald Country Park in Essex after a change in requirements for the sport that resulted in the need to identify a more technical and challenging course.

This venue change for the Games has been approved by the International Cycling Union (UCI), British Cycling (BC), the International Olympic Committee, and the British Olympic Association.

The new venue covers a 550 acre site situated close to the village of Hadleigh, near Benfleet in Essex. The site encompasses the outstandingly beautiful grassland and woodland of Hadleigh Farm, land owned by the Salvation Army, and the surrounding countryside of Hadleigh Castle Country Park.

There are two major hill areas, separated by a valley which will create the technical climbs for the course to challenge the competitors from around the world in less than four years time. The course will be set against the stunning backdrop of the 700-year-old ruins of Hadleigh Castle.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG today said: 'It is testament to the hard work of everyone in involved that we have been able to confirm an alternative venue for the Mountain Biking competition only seven months after the venue change was announced.

'In Hadleigh Farm we have a world class venue for Games time with the potential for an excellent facility for elite and community use post Games.'

Pat McQuaid, President of UCI said: 'The UCI is delighted with Hadleigh Farm and believe it will be a spectacular Mountain Biking venue for London 2012. It has a wonderful terrain and offers a unique opportunity for spectators to view the majority of the course.

'Our technical experts believe it meets all the requirements of an Olympic Mountain Biking course with a range of elevations that will provide a challenging course for competitors.'

Peter King, CEO of British Cycling said: 'We are delighted that such a stunning alternative venue has been found to host Mountain Biking for the London 2012 Games. With an approximate journey time of 45 minutes to Hadleigh Farm from the Olympic Park, the proximity to the Olympic Village will be of immense value to the Mountain Biking competitors.

'The potential for retaining a Mountain Biking course at Hadleigh Farm is very exciting as the sport is becoming increasingly popular in the UK and we want to build participation through the undoubted surge in interest in the run up to and after the London 2012 Games.'

Cllr Stephen Castle, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Regeneration and the 2012 Games said: 'I am absolutely delighted Hadleigh Farm is the chosen venue for the Mountain Biking event of the London 2012 Games. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase Hadleigh and South Essex to the world, to provide a real legacy both for local people and the international mountain bike community and show everyone all Essex can offer for sport, business, tourism and sustainable regeneration.'

Major David Hinton, Secretary for Business Administration of The Salvation Army UK and the Republic of Ireland said: 'The Salvation Army is delighted to be working with Essex County Council to create the 2012 Games Mountain Biking venue at Hadleigh Farm.

'Beyond meeting the technical requirements for the event, we are committed to working in partnership with Essex County Council, the London 2012 Organising Committee and the local community to ensure not only a great event in 2012 but also long lasting benefits for the community and the county as a whole after the Games. We look forward to being part of this exciting initiative.'

Next steps for the London 2012 Organising Committee and Essex County Council include a four month period of detailed planning on the course layout and the temporary facilities required to host the event; securing contractual agreements between all parties; working with the local community on an engagement programme and the announcement in the autumn of the Cycling Competition Manager.

Beijing Games kick off in spectacular style

2008-08-09T13:01:00Z

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games got off to a spectacular start with a stunning Opening Ceremony at the Bird's Nest stadium.

The ceremony included a unique mixture of new technology and performance on a massive scale.

London 2012 Organising Committee Chief Executive Paul Deighton attended the event and commented:

'Everyone expected an Opening Ceremony of epic proportion and China did not disappoint, including a most spectacular finale.

'We now look forward to 16 days of sport, and, for us, 16 days of learning as we prepare for the the next Summer Games in London.

He also wished the best of luck to Team GB.

London 2012 tribute to Steve Parry

2008-08-09T12:58:00Z

London 2012 has issued a tribute to the highly respected former Reuters Sports Editor and IOC and London 2012 press operations adviser.

It takes an event or occasion of some magnitude to prompt a pause of any kind in the press rooms of the world's leading media organisations on the eve of the Olympic Games, the world's biggest media operation. But that is what happened today in Beijing as word spread through the Main Press Centre of the untimely death of Steve Parry, the highly respected former Reuters Sports Editor and IOC and London 2012 press operations adviser.

Even as the world's largest media operation moved into top gear for Friday's blockbuster Olympic Opening Ceremony, news of Parry's death sent shock waves of disbelief and sadness across news desks and through senior management offices.

The sense of loss surrounding the death of the highly regarded sports news expert and editor was more poignant and sharply felt amongst his Olympic and press colleagues, coming just hours before the start of the Beijing Games, which were to mark Parry’s 40 year association with the Games.

The Games attract the best of the best – the best athletes as well as the best media who report on their performances. Parry was gold medal material, universally acclaimed here in Beijing by his peers for quality reporting of the Games, and more recently for his work with the IOC in helping to maximise Games-time operations for media.

As Reuters Sports Editor, Parry planned and coordinated coverage of many sporting events around the globe but nothing matched the challenge and excitement of the Olympic Games.

'For Steve, the Olympic Games was what it was all about. Sport and the Olympic Games were synonymous,' said Paul Radford, who succeeded Parry as Reuters Global Sports Editor.

A highly regarded member of the IOC’s Press Commission, Parry’s advice and counsel was widely sought after in Olympic circles, especially his understanding of the NASA–like complexities of Games-time press operations.

Parry helped London to win the bid for the 2012 Games, and it came as no surprise that the bid’s important technical file on Press Operations scored top marks from the IOC’s Evaluation Commission.

Parry was a highly valued consultant to the team of Communications Director, Jackie Brock-Doyle, providing expert advice on London’s press operations plan as well as the Games time experience for press and broadcast media.

Like Olympians he has reported on, Steve Parry set new standards for others to follow.

‘Steve is one of the Olympic greats. It is hard to imagine an Olympic Games without him,’ Brock-Doyle said.

‘He was involved with London 2012 from the early stages of the bid and played a major role in helping us bring the Games to London. His candid advice, expert knowledge and exceptional humour will be sorely missed by everyone connected to London 2012, and the wider Olympic family. We send our deepest sympathy to his family at this very sad time.’