Local MP Mark Francois last week supported the opportunities for Rayleigh and the whole of Essex to benefit from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. MPs from across Essex and the local area were briefed in Parliament by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and local members if the 2012 team. Olympic gold medallist Jonathan Edwards also attended.
Opportunities are already coming on stream for people across Rayleigh, all the more important in the current economic climate:
• Essex and Hertfordshire boast two 2012 venues – the Olympic mountain biking venue at Hadleigh Farm, Essex and the Broxbourne canoe/kayak slalom courses.
• 73 Businesses in the local area are already winning Games-related contracts (and sub-contracts), creating and safeguarding jobs – and more should sign up online[2] to hear about new contracts as they are advertised
• 66 Sporting facilities have been signed up as potential Pre-Games Training Camps and are bidding to attract overseas Olympic and Paralympic teams to train in the region before the Games;
• Events across the County are being planned as part of London 2012 Open Weekend in 24-26 July – sport and arts celebrations as part of the Cultural Olympiad, marking ‘3 years to go’ to the first Opening Ceremony
• Nearly 600 Schools and colleges across the region have signed up to ‘Get Set’, London 2012’s education programme, taking the Olympic and Paralympic values into the classroom
• People of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to take up sport, and try something new in the wake of the astonishing performances of Team GB and Paralympics GB in the Beijing Games – and talented 2012 hopefuls from the region are training in the hope of competing at the Games in 3 years’ time
• Planning has started on projects such as Volunteering, Ticketing and the Torch Relays, which all present ways for the local area to engage with 2012 in the next 3 years as excitement builds
Following the session, Jonathan commented:
“It’s great to see such a level of interest and enthusiasm for the London 2012 Games amongst MPs across Essex. I am delighted that Mark will be working closely with us as we build towards 2012 to ensure that people across Rayleigh get engaged in the Games.”
Mark Francois also said:
“Winning the bid for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was a great moment for the country and the county, as well as for London. We are now almost 3 years out from the first Opening Ceremony and it’s great to see all the activity stepping up for people across not only my area but around the whole of the region.”
Further information is available at http://www.london2012.com/in-your-area/east-of-england/index.php