The London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and North East England

The London 2012 Games provide North East England with a global opportunity to celebrate its Passion for Sport. The Games will allow the region to showcase its world class places and talented people and will act to inspire participation in sport and physical activity for generations to come. For more information regarding the London 2012 Games please visit www.london2012.com

For the region it is expected that London 2012 Games have the potential to:

• Provide a boost to businesses in North East England, particularly with the region's expertise in a number of sectors
• Build upon the success of Team GB in Beijing 2008 and raise aspirations among the region's high performance sportsmen and sportswomen 
• Assist in the promotion of North East England to national and international visitors and audiences
• Showcase the region's cultural assets and talented people
• Promote key regional venues as Pre-Games Training Camps for visiting overseas teams, including St James Park as an official London 2012 venue
• Act as a catalyst to encourage ordinary people, particularly young people to get fit and take part in sport or physical activity
• Promote healthy living, including widening access to sport for disabled people  
• Encourage coaching and volunteering activities in sporting and cultural activity

Partners in North East England have been working since 2005 looking at ways to promote these opportunities. Amongst the successes to date are:

• Investment in CompeteFor an electronic database through which regional companies can gain access to Games-related contract opportunities. Register for CompeteFor at: https://www.competefor.com/london2012business/login.jsp.
• The inclusion of 20 regional facilities in the national Pre Games Training Camp Guide which encourages overseas teams to come and train in the UK in the lead up to the Games
• The development of regional activity around the Cultural Olympiad – a four year programme of initiatives aimed at engaging people in a range of cultural and sporting activities
• The establishment of a Personal Best scheme aimed at providing training for unemployed and disadvantages individuals to achieve a recognised qualification in Event Volunteering
• The roll out of the London 2012– Get Set Programme –an interactive website supporting regional schools, children and young people in learning about the Games. The new interactive ‘Get Set’ website can be found at www.london2012.com/getset
• The development of a project focused on alleviating through sport and physical activity the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes.

For more information about the activities in these areas please click here to view:

• NORTH EAST ENGLAND REGIONAL PLAN FOR THE LONDON 2012 GAMES
• COMPETE FOR LEAFLET
• REGIONAL PRE GAMES TRAINING CAMP GUIDE
• REGIONAL UPDATE REPORTS
• REGIONAL 2012 E-BULLETINS

How To Get Involved

North East England engages with the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games through the Nations and Regions Group (NRG). By feeding directly into the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), NRG works to ensure that the benefits associated with the London 2012 Games reach all parts of the UK.

Peter Rowley, Chair of the Regional Sports Board, is the region's representative on the NRG. Peter is supported by One North East and Sport England who lead on all regional London 2012 Games related activities.

Organisations from across the sporting spectrum as well as the public and private sectors are consulted, and partnered with, to deliver a robust programme of activities that will help the region to gain as many benefits as possible. Key representatives include:

• Peter Rowley – Chair of the Regional Sports Board          
• Bill McGawley – Northern Business Forum
• Tanya Gray - One North East
• Ian Thurlbeck - Sports England
• Stacy Hall – One North East
• Melanie Laws – Association of North East Councils
• Lorna Fulton – Regional Creative Programmer
• Peter Warburton – Universities for the North East
• Ian Simon - Tyne Wear Partnership
• Bob Ward - County Durham Economic Partnership
• Doug Lowery - Northumberland Strategic Partnership
• Petrina Lynn - Learning Skills Council
• Marie Wilson - Government Office for the North East
• Katie Storey - Regional Sports Equity Network
• Judith Rasmussen – Sport England
• Andrew Hailwood – National Governing Body Network
• John Lowther – Tees Valley Partnership    
• Helen Weston – North East Voluntary Sports Federation
• Mike Mullaney - Lloyds TSB
• Chris Sayers – Northern Business Forum
• Martin McTague – Northern Business Forum
• Tracey Sharp - Department of Health.

You could be involved by contacting any one of the partners above representing your area of interest.

Main contacts

Alternatively you can contact representatives from One North East, Sport England or Arts Council England North East to find out what is going on in your area:

General enquiries on the London 2012 Games and specific enquiries on tourism, culture, pre games training camps, skills and volunteering skills:
Tanya Gray, One North East

Business opportunity enquiries:
Mike Hawkins, One North East

Enquiries on sports facilities, performance sport and community involvement:
Ian Thurlbeck, Sport England

Enquiries of the Cultural Olympiad:
Lorna Fulton, Arts Council England North East

You can also subscribe to the region’s e-bulletin on London 2012 related news here or ask a question via london2012@onenortheast.co.uk