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Final Paralympic Torch Relay nomination campaign
The last of the three campaigns run by the Paralympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners is being launched today . This process will give people across the UK an opportunity to nominate a team or individual from their local community who they feel has inspired them.
Successful nominees will work in teams of five to carry the Paralympic Flame during an overnight Torch Relay from Stoke Mandeville to the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games on 29 September.
The campaign, which will run until 14 February, is looking for people who display the Paralympic Values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality to push the boundaries of what is achievable.
Nominations can be made in Sainsbury's stores across the UK or online at a nomination website from 11 January.
London 2012 Organising Committee Chair Seb Coe said: 'All around the UK there are teams or individuals that embody the Paralympic Values and make a difference to the lives of others. The Sainsbury’s nomination programme is the final opportunity to put people forward, so if there is a team or individual that you feel deserves recognition for their contribution, then I would encourage you to nominate them.'
London 2012 Legacy Project for Loughbrough University
The Cabinet convened a special meeting at the Olympic Park on Monday 9th January to launch a day of London 2012 themed Ministerial visits across the each of the regions, to coincide with 200 days to go before Games Time.
The East Midlands visit brought the Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, to Loughborough to announce the development of a new £10 million National Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre of Excellence. This is being established at Loughborough University with the aim of improving physical activity rates and treating conditions associated with lack of physical activity. It will be jointly run by Loughborough, Nottingham and Leicester universities and NHS trusts in Nottingham and Leicester. It is one of three centres in the UK – with others in Sheffield and London and is heralded as an important legacy of London 2012.
London 2012 marks 200 days to go with Olympic Park announcement
Following completion by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) of the main structures on the Olympic Park, the site will now officially be handed over to LOCOG to begin transforming it into a fully-operational venue.
Dennis Hone, ODA Chief Executive, said: 'We hand the Olympic Park to the Organising Committee fully confident that they will continue pressing ahead on their preparations so that London 2012 becomes a brilliant once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience for everyone involved.'
LOCOG will now commence 'ramping-up' work to fit out venues and stage testing and licensing events. This will include constructing 100,000 square feet of Games-time retail space, installing the ‘look and feel’ of the Games throughout the Park and sourcing a million pieces of sport equipment.
LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: 'The handover of the Olympic Park sounds the starting pistol in the race to get the site and venues ready to host the two biggest sporting events on the planet.
'In just 200 days time, 200 countries – more than the membership of the United Nations – will be sending 15,000 athletes and 20,000 accredited media to London to create history.'
An opportunity to carry the Paralympic Flame
BT, the official communications services partner of London 2012, is giving people the chance to carry the Paralympic Flame on the eve of the London 2012 Paralympic Games next August. BT is looking for the most inspirational teams to take part in the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay. The relay will begin at Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic movement, on Tuesday 28 August 2012. Then over 24-hours, Torchbearers will carry the Flame to the Olympic Stadium to light the cauldron and officially open the London 2012 Paralympic Games on 29 August.
You can nominate your own team of five or a team you know by visitingor calling 08000 23 23 99. Nominators and Torchbearers must be at least 12 years old and nominations must be submitted by midnight on the 20th January. More details and terms and conditions can be found on the website.
London 2012 offers first Torchbearer places in the East Midlands for the Olympic Torch Relay
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Today the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) begins to make conditional offers to inspiring people in the East Midlands to carry the Olympic Flame next summer during the 70 day Olympic Torch Relay. Hundreds of people in the East Midlands are today one step closer to becoming a London 2012 Olympic Torchbearer and having their moment to shine next summer.
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East Midlands schools get set for London 2012
Fourteen East Midlands schools have been awarded grants totalling £100,000 to support other schools in their area to also get involved in London 2012 and make the most of opportunities available through the official London 2012 education programme ‘Get Set’.
Bolsover Inspiring Sports Stars and Coaches for London 2012
The London 2012 Organising Committee has awarded Bolsover Leadership and Coaching Academy (BLACA) the Inspire mark in recognition of its excellent community programme. The Bolsover District Council led scheme provides a two tiered approach to raising the aspirations and skill base of local people across the District. Since it started in July 2010, the BLACA scheme has been going from strength to strength and has already seen eleven people from the course offered employment in the leisure industry and over one-thousand five hundred hours of community and voluntary work has been undertaken across Bolsover District.
Bolsover District Council’s Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Councillor Ann Syrett said, “We are delighted to have achieved the Inspire mark and it shows that our approach to grass roots participation will lead to a lasting legacy and get more people involved and active in sport in the lead up to the 2012 Games. In fact, we have already seen one of our participants, Laurisa Robson go onto bigger and better things after being chosen as an FA Leader to coach youngsters in Trinidad and Tobago - a true lasting legacy thanks to the BLACA programme".
Triple Jump Legend visits Leicestershire
Jonathan Edwards, Deputy Chair of the London 2012 Nations and Regions Group, visited Leicester and Leicestershire on 9 November 2011 to experience a number of projects inspired by London 2012.
His tour kicked-off at Glebelands Primary School, where he was introduced to their Playing for Health programme, which is being led by the Leicester Sports Partnership Trust. Jonathan also visited King Richard III Infant School to discover the work being completed by students on the global dimension of the 2012 Games.
Jonathan also met with some of Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sports Go Gold Ambassadors and other talented young athletes, including Great Britain triple jumper Laura Samuels, talented rower Jonny Walton and Paralympic sprint hopeful, Selina Litt. The tour concluded with a visit to the Robert Smyth Academy in Market Harborough, where Jonathan was introduced to the My Games My Legacy project and the Patchwork Pledge before finding out more about the Academy’s Young Leaders programme and their plans for the Get Set to Plan Your 2012’ programme.
Andy Reed, Chair of the LeicesterShire Steering Group for the 2012 Games said “We are delighted Jonathan Edwards came to Leicestershire to see the work we have been doing to raise awareness of the opportunities of the 2012 Games in the County. We are proud of the excitement building in Leicestershire in schools, businesses and the community but we hope visits like this will raise interest even more as we get nearer to 2012!"
Become a London 2012 Local Leader
Details of East Midlands Communties on Torch Relay Route
London 2012 has today confirmed details of the 73 communities in the East Midlands where the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay.
The Olympic Flame will be in the East Midlands from 27 – 30 June and 2 – 4 July 2012. This will follow a route which achieves the optimum mix of proximity to people whilst also taking in beautiful natural and urban landmarks to showcase the region around the world.
London 2012 Torch Relay Animation
London 2012 has produced a short film to showcase many of the communties and landmarks where the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay.
London 2012 announces plans for Paralympic Torch Relay
The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) have announced an exciting new concept for the Paralympic Torch Relay to lead the UK into the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
The Paralympic Torch Relay programme will include four separate ceremonies in each nation of the UK, followed by a 24-hour Torch Relay from Stoke Mandeville to the Olympic Stadium.
The first flame lighting event will be held in London on Friday 24 August 2012. Over the Bank Holiday weekend, Greater Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff will then each host a unique flame-lighting moment. Once a flame has been lit it will visit local community groups and key locations in and around the city.
Egyptian Paralympic team confirm Pre-Games Training Camp in Lincolnshire
A team of Paralympic athletes from Egypt will be training in Lincolnshire prior to the 2012 Games next year.
It has been confirmed that the Egyptian Paralympic Committee will be using two Pre-Games Training Camps in Lincoln and Boston for a one-week Performance Camp prior to the 2012 Paralympic Games in August next year.
A 50 person team will reside in Lincoln and use accredited facilities at the Princess Royal Sports Arena (PRSA) in Boston, alongside the Human Performance Centre at the University of Lincoln, the Meridian Centre in Louth and Yarborough Leisure Centre in Lincoln.
Olympic Open Weekend returned to Daventry
On the 23rd and 24th July 2011, over 2,800 participants took part in Daventry's Olympic Open Weekend. This celebrated the one year countdown to London 2012 and offered free access to a range of sporting and cultural activities.
Click here to read more and view a number of short films of the event
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Search begins to cast Opening and Closing Ceremonies
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) has today begun a search for 10,000 adult volunteer performers to participate in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Artistic Directors Danny Boyle and Kim Gavin are searching for volunteer performers to fill roles as dancers, actors, percussionists and general all-round performers in the Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies respectively. Successful applications will perform in front of a packed Olympic Stadium and a worldwide broadcast audience of more than one billion people this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of one of the largest events ever staged in the UK.
All routes lead to London 2012
London 2012 has launched a a one-stop travel shop that enables London 2012 spectators to plan their routes well in advance of the Games. The online London 2012 spectator journey planner will help Games ticket holders plot their routes to venues from anywhere in Great Britain by rail, coach, bus, river or Tube. It will also detail routes for cycling and walking, and from early next year will allow users to plan their journeys by car to Games park-and-ride and Blue Badge parking sites. Those with accessibility requirements will be able to plan the most suitable routes through the website, such as stations with lifts or ramps.
Community Live Sites Celebration Guide
The Community Live Site programme is part of the way London 2012 will engage with the whole of the UK and help create local celebrations at Games time next year.
London 2012 launches Young Games Maker Programme
£50 million legacy boost for sports facilities
Up to a thousand local sports clubs and facilities will be upgraded thanks to a £50 million National Lottery fund launched on Monday by Sport England and the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP.
The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country.
Student from Lincolnshire wins London 2012 mascot competition
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A pupil from Caistor Grammar School in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire has won a London 2012 education programme design competition to create a version of the London 2012 Paralympic mascot Mandeville that she feels represents the East Midlands. The prize for winning the competition included having the opportunity to work with a top London designer to develop her design – which will now be made into an official version of Mandeville as well as a London 2012 pin badge. |
Street Racing returned to the Old Market Square
The Inspire Marked Street Racing running event returned to Nottingham's Old Market Square on Saturday 9 July.
Young people in Nottingham were encouraged to take part in this FREE exciting event, competing against friends in the heart of the city and to be a part of Nottingham’s pre-Olympic festivities.
Sport England launch Sportivate
Hundreds of thousands of teenagers and young adults are to benefit from a new sports programme that aims to fulfil the legacy promise made by Seb Coe in Singapore in 2005 to 'inspire young people to choose sport'.
Launched by Sport England today at the University of Lincoln, the £32 million National Lottery-funded project will help those who aren't currently playing sport in their own time to get out and give it a go.
Sportivate has received the London 2012 Inspire Mark.
Olympic chief visits Northamptonshire
Paul Deighton Chief Executive of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) visited Northamptonshire this week, to see first hand how the county is benefitting from the Games.
The first stop of the day was to the East Midlands International Swimming Pool in Corby, where he met with athletes from the Israeli Swimming Team.
Paralympic Success for Moulton
Contracts were recently exchanged that enabled Moulton College to host the first of four Pre Games Training Camps for the British Paralympic Fencing Team. The agreement enables training to take place at Moulton College, one of the UKs leading land based Colleges, in the run up to the London 2012 Paralympics.
Open Weekend registrations open
This year's London 2012 Open Weekend will take place on 22-24 July 2011. Starting the countdown to one year to go to the Games, it will showcase the best of art, dance, film and sport. If you're an organising an event that could be part of Open Weekend register now.
'Jump London' project awarded the 1000th London 2012 Inspire Mark
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has awarded the 1,000th Inspire mark to ‘Jump London’, a project designed to develop the safe teaching and learning of Parkour.
Test events open to spectators
A comprehensive testing programme has been announced, comprising special international invitational events as well as events organised by governing bodies. The focus will be primarily on testing results, scoring and timing systems and many will be open to the public.
Inspire marked "sported." project recruiting volunteers
Get involved and make a difference! sported. are currently recruiting volunteers to work as mentors, supporting organisations working to have a positive impact on young people.
Director of Paralympic Integration visits the East Midlands
On 12 April 2011 the East Midlands welcomed Chris Holmes, Director of Paralympic Integration and 9 x Paralympian.
The visit began at RNIB College Loughborough, where Holmes met with young people and inspired them with tales of his Paralympic successes.
Championing the East Midlands Film
The photographic images of East Midlands athletes in some of the East Midlands key tourism destinations have been transformed into a short film.
500 days to go - the countdown commences
An official Countdown Clock has been unveiled in Trafalgar Square to kick off the 500-day countdown to the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Business Link 2012 and Beyond Showcase Event
Join Business Link in Kegworth on Friday 11 March 2011 to find out about and help your business win contracts linked to the London 2012 Games. A showcase presentation will be delivered by Olympic medallist Steve Backley.
‘Jump London’ project awarded the 1,000th London 2012 Inspire mark
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has awarded the 1,000th Inspire mark to ‘Jump London’, a project designed to develop the safe teaching and learning of Parkour.
Test events open to spectators
A comprehensive testing programme has been announced, comprising special international invitational events as well as events organised by governing bodies. The focus will be primarily on testing results, scoring and timing systems and many will be open to the public.
First Olympic Park venue completed
The London 2012 Velodrome has been unveiled as the first Olympic Park venue to finish construction, nearly 18 months before the start of the Games. The Velodrome will host the Olympic and Paralympic Track Cycling.
CompeteFor Business Opportunities
A schedule of future business opportunities due to be published on the CompeteFor website has been released. Contracts to provide everything from whistles to scaffolding are coming up over the next few months.
Insights into the Games- Free Lecture Series
Sports Broadcasting- a Journey to London 2012 will be the latest in a series of free public lectures by the University of Leicester. Barbara Slater- Head of Sport, BBC will be the Guest Speaker at the Inspire Marked lecture on March 10th 5:30pm.
Free tickets are available in advance or on the door on the night. E-mail sport@le.ac.uk for more information.
Present your food & drink products to the London 2012 buying team
LOCOG will be bringing a group of suppliers and development chefs for ‘Meet the Buyer’ sessions at the International Food & Drink Event (13-16 Mar) at Excel, London. They will be sourcing quality local and regional produce.
Start planning your Olympic Games experience!
Ticket prices and the full competition schedule for the London 2012 Olympic Games have been released. Applications for tickets will be accepted between 15 March and 26 April 2011. Register your interest now at the 2012 website.
East Midlands artist blooms during Cultural Olympiad
Derby University graduate, ceramic artist Paul Cummins has been commissioned to create a flower garden made up of 10,000 blooms crafted by hand. In 2012, Paul will hold a series of exhibitions during the Cultural Olympiad.
Young film makers win screenings at London 2012
Young film makers from the region have won the opportunity through the Cultural Olympiad programme Film Nation: Shorts to have their films screened and seen by millions at London 2012.
Inspire goes from strength to strength
120 East Midlands projects and events have been officially recognised by the London 2012 Inspire Programme. The much sought after Inspire Mark honours those projects that have been inspired by the Games coming to the UK.
Leading Artists Commissioned for Cultural Olympiad
Internationally reknowned artists have been commissioned for the London 2012 Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad. The Festival will be UK-wide cultural celebration providing an outstanding summer of arts and creativity.
Ilkeston infant school named Get Set school of the month
Charlotte nursery and infant school in Ilkeston has been selected as a ‘Get Set Network school of the month’ as a result of their outstanding commitment to living the Olympic and Paralympic Values.
EMpowered project focuses on Olympic values
EMpowered is a schools project which matches the 7 Olympic values to the 7 disciplines in the women’s heptathlon event. This term the value is ‘Inspiration’ and the heptathlon event is the high jump.
London 2012 announces Olympic Games ticket prices
Details have been revealed of the ticket pricing structure across the 26 sports of the Olympic Games. Tickets for the Games go on sale in March 2011 and there will be a range of prices and initiatives to make tickets accessible.
East Midlands achieves 100 Inspire Marks
The East Midlands is only the second region outside of London to have 100 projects and events recognised by the Inspire Programme. UK Young Artists, Derby 21st-24th October 2010 is the 100th East Midlands project to be granted the Inspire Mark.
For more information on UKYA visit www.ukyoungartists.co.uk
Have you got what it takes to be a 2012 Games Maker?
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Registration is now open for volunteers to help the games run smoothly. The Games Makers website has everything you need to know to decide if being a Games Maker is for you. |
Support available for Leicestershire & Rutland Games Makers
The search is on to find 70,000 volunteers to ensure that London 2012 is a success. Click below to find out more about financial support available for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Games Makers.
Commonwealth Success for East Midlands Athletes
In the build up to London 2012, East Midlands athletes enjoyed big success in Dehlhi. Medalists include hurdler Andy Turner and gymnast Francesca Jones who both feature in the East Midlands 2012 tourism images.
Community College wins trip to 2012 Olympic Park
Burleigh Community College from Loughborough won a visit to the Olympic Park after submitting photographs demonstrating involvement in London 2012’s international legacy programme.
Lincolnshire to pilot new Olympic style school competitions
Lincolnshire has been selected as a pilot area to introduce Olympic-style sports competitions in its schools. The scheme aims to bring competitive sport to millions of children for the first time.
Series of free public lectures inspired by 2012
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The University of Leicester is holding a series of 2012 events during October. The programme of lectures includes experts on “shark skin” swimsuits and media and communications during the Beijing Games. |
Igniting Ambition announces Festival 2011 Programme
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Projects in Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland have been selected to be a part of the next Igniting Ambition showcase. |
London 2012 begins search for the team to design, engineer and manufacture the Olympic and Paralympic Torches
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Design consultancies, engineering firms and manufacturers are being sought to create the Olympic and Paralympic Torches for London 2012. |
Connor wins volunteering award
South Nottingham College student Connor Hardy has been crowned East Midlands FE Sports Volunteer of the Year. Connor received his award from England Hockey President Simon Mason, at the Champions Trophy.
Musubi wins European award for languages
South Wolds School in Nottinghamshire has won a prestigious European Award for Languages, for the London 2012 Games inspired Musubi project.
Mandeville visits the East Midlands
Mandeville, the London 2012 Paralympic mascot, has visited Robert Smyth School in Leicestershire and Moulton College in Northamptonshire at the start of a journey around the UK.
International hockey comes to Nottingham
The Samsung FIH Women's Champions Trophy, an international hockey event featuring six of the top teams in the world, including England, is being held at Highfields Sports Club in Nottingham on 10 - 18 July. The event, which is being staged in the UK for the first time and is supported by emda, will also host the Men’s Four Nations Trophy, featuring Team GB.
London 2012 outlines vision for Olympic Flame
LOCOG has announced that the Olympic Flame will arrive in the UK on Friday 18 May 2012 and will travel around the country for 70 days, arriving in London the weekend before the 2012 Games begin. 8,000 torch bearers will be selected, with a nomination process expected to be announced in May 2011.
Loughborough University chosen as headquarters for Team GB's 2012 Olympic preparation
Loughborough University has announced that it has has been selected by the British Olympic Association as the Official Preparation Camp Headquarters for Team GB prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Register your interest for London 2012 tickets
The world's greatest sporting events are coming to London. Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will go on sale in 2011. Sign up now and you will be among the first to hear about ticketing news and other exciting events and offers.
Igniting Ambition Festival 2010 launched
The Igniting Ambition Festival 2010 has been launched with the publication of a brochure showcasing the range of events taking place in Leicester, Derby and Nottingham and their respective counties.
Olympic Delivery Authority Chairman visits the region
John Armitt, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, has visited the East Midlands to take a look at businesses that have won contracts to work on the London 2012 Games. So far over 100 businesses in region have won contracts for the Games.
Japanese Olympic hopefuls add to the magic of Musubi
Pupils from Aldercar Community Language College in Derbyshire have met Japanese athletes at the second 'Musubi' day to be held Loughborough University. The pupils took part in language, music and sporting workshops as part of the Inspire marked programme designed to strengthen the ties between the University, the region and Japan.
Businesses urged to be in running for contracts
emda is encouraging businesses in the region to look at the new opportunities that are available for them to provide goods and services to the London 2012 Games. Business Link is running free workshops around the region over the next two months, to enable businesses to find out how they can find out about opportunities and win contracts.