London 2012 launches merchandise for Christmas 2010
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) unveils the latest selection of official London 2012 merchandise, in time to fill Christmas stockings for December 2010. The collection was unveiled today overlooking the Olympic Park in East London, styled with assistance from London 2012 sponsor and licensee Next.
The merchandise uses the vibrant colours of the London 2012 colour palette with popular design features such as the London skyline and the union flag. The wide selection of products includes clothing by adidas and Next, items for the home from ceramics to bedding, mascot toys and figurines, various collectable items including pins, stamps and coins, and a full range of accessories from the fun to the iconic.
Next has released its first clothing collection this week to coincide with the launch of the first mascot toy. The collection includes various limited edition t-shirts, each individually numbered from 1 to 2,012. This will be followed later in the year with their second collection, a vintage range inspired by imagery from previous Olympic Games, such as London 1948. Read more
London 2012: Have you got what it takes to be a Games Maker?
London 2012 announces plans to recruit passionate and inspirational volunteers for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
• Up to 70,000 volunteers to be recruited for the London 2012 Games
• Volunteers to be known as Games Makers
• Pre-identified applicants for specialist roles to apply from 27 July 2010 onwards
• Applications for generalist roles to open on 15 September 2010
• Young Games Maker programme for up to 1,500 under-18 year olds opens in 2011
• McDonald’s announced as Presenting Partner
• Mayor of London’s London Volunteer scheme opens for registration on 27 July 2010
With almost two years to go until the London 2012 Games, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today announces plans to recruit up to 70,000 volunteers for the London 2012 Games.
In the biggest post-war volunteer recruitment campaign in the UK’s history, LOCOG will be looking for dedicated and inspirational people representative of the diversity of London and the UK to apply for a wide variety of volunteer roles.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: “London 2012 needs brilliant volunteers to help us deliver a great Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our volunteers will be called Games Makers to reflect the important role they will play in staging the 2012 Games. The programme to find our Games Makers will launch on 27 July 2010 and I urge anyone that is interested to come to our website from the day onwards to find out everything they need to know about volunteering in 2012.” Read more
Basketball Arena nets spot in London 2012 skyline while Handball Arena hits milestone
Two sports venues have hit respective milestones as progress continues on delivering the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The 12,000-seat Basketball Arena – one of the largest temporary venues ever built for an Olympic and Paralympic Games – has had its external cladding completed.
Elsewhere in the 500-acre Olympic Park, the main structure is now in place for the 7,000-seat Handball Arena.
The Basketball Arena, which is longer than a football pitch at 114m, 98m wide and as tall as the Tate Modern at 35m, is moving towards completion next spring, while the Handball Arena has a summer 2011 finish date.
ODA Chairman John Armitt said: ‘The Basketball Arena and Handball Arena are two very different structures – one large and temporary; the other compact and permanent. Their contrasting designs and the progress we have made on their construction reflect the first-class abilities of the construction teams working on the site.
‘Both also highlight our approach to legacy – only building permanent structures which can serve communities post-2012. The temporary Basketball Arena will be taken down and used again elsewhere while the Handball Arena is a permanent useable space which can accommodate an array of activities both during and after the Games.’
London 2012 Organising Committee Chair Seb Coe said: ‘It is very exciting to see the Basketball Arena taking shape so quickly. The Arena will be a superb venue which will host some fantastic sport at both the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Basketball is one of the most popular Olympic sports and fans will be watching in a spectacular setting.
‘Likewise, the Handball Arena will provide athletes with a state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility at Games-time and the local London community with a much needed flexible indoor sports arena after the Games. Handball is a very popular sport, particularly strong in Europe. London 2012 will provide an enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable audience with the chance to witness great sport in a great venue.’ Read more
World leading British directors and producers appointed to London 2012 Ceremonies team
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) announced today that four leading UK creatives will form a team of Executive Producers who will oversee the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
The team will be:
- Stephen Daldry, Oscar winning film and theatre director as Executive Producer, Creative
- Mark Fisher, concert, theatre and Beijing 2008 Games designer as Executive Producer, Design
- Hamish Hamilton, Grammy and BAFTA award nominated TV director as Executive Producer, Broadcast
- Catherine Ugwu, Producer for the 15th Asian Games in Doha in 2006, the XVII Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 as Executive Producer, Production
Danny Boyle, Oscar winning British filmmaker and producer, will be the Artistic Director for the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. An Artistic Director for the Olympic Closing Ceremony and one for the Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be appointed later this year.
Sebastian Coe, LOCOG Chair, said: ‘These Games are bringing together world-class British talent. Each one of these individuals would hold their own on the worldwide stage and they are joining names like children’s author Michael Morpurgo who has created the story behind our highly successful mascots. We are delighted with the team we have brought together to deliver our ceremonies in 2012.’
Danny Boyle said: ‘I’m honoured to have been invited to be the Artistic Director for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. It’s a completely unique opportunity to contribute to what I’m sure are going to be a fantastic Games, I’m really excited to be involved.’
Stephen Daldry said: ‘Myself and my co-executive producers will ensure there is creative continuity across all four ceremonies, that the public have real engagement and that we continue to attract into key roles the best talent in the world. I’m delighted to be part of the team.’
Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, said: ‘The opening and closing ceremonies are the jewels in the crown of any Olympics and Paralympics and are one of the benchmarks against which all Games are judged.
‘I am very pleased that British directors and producers of such outstanding international calibre and acclaim have given their backing to London 2012. With their creativity and expertises on board, I’m sure that London’s showpiece events will make Britain proud.’
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘This is a brilliant team bringing together some of the most imaginative people in the world. The work they have produced over the years has been quite extraordinary, with an impact not just in the UK, but also on the international stage.
‘They exemplify some of the greatest attributes we have – creativity, vision, and intelligence – which will be critical to ensuring shows that are as stunning as they are uniquely British.’
3 Mills Studios, East London’s centre for the creative industries and in the shadow of the Olympic Stadium itself, will be the production centre for the London 2012 Ceremonies Team, and a base from where the Victory Ceremonies and Torch Relays will be produced. The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) is taking over ownership of the studio from the London Development Agency (LDA), with this deal will see LOCOG’s staff from the Culture, Ceremonies, Education and Lives Sites Team moving into offices at 3 Mills Studios in October 2010, and LOCOG expects to have around 450 full time staff plus hundreds of contractors and production volunteers in 2011. The OPLC will assume the obligations of the LDA under the Studio Use Agreement. Normal film, TV and rehearsal activity will continue at 3 Mills Studios at the same time as the Ceremonies team develop and rehearse the London 2012 Ceremonies in part of the 20 acre, 14 stage complex.
Andrew Altman, Chief Executive of the Olympic Park Legacy Company said: ’3 Mills Studios is among the hotbed of talent and emerging artists that surround the Olympic Park. The rich cultural heritage of the Studios, combined with its renowned production facilities, make it a natural fit for the creative powerhouse that is the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies team.
‘Boosting London’s creative and media industries is a significant part of our vision for the Olympic Park. What could be a stronger signal of our commitment than the creation of hundreds of jobs at 3 Mills to produce a series of spectacular shows that will be watched by a world-wide audience of more than a billion.’
From the 1980’s the Studios in Bow East London, has been used as a film, television and West End production site. Notables who have made films here include Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, Mike Leigh, Michael Winterbottom and Danny Boyle. West End Theatre has included the rehearsals for Billy Elliot the Musical and Oliver! The Musical. There is evidence to suggest the original Mills here were listed in the Doomsday Book and date back to the 11th century. Over time the mills have produced flour, gun powder and until the Second World War was used primarily for the production of Gin.
LOCOG has joined forces with FiveCurrents and Unspun in association with Arcadis via their consortium entitled Flow Productions Limited, to create a standalone production company called London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd. This company will produce the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The appointment of FiveCurrents and Unspun and Arcadisfollows an exhaustive procurement process to find a delivery partner able to provide production services for these extraordinary and complex events.
Working alongside the LOCOG appointed Executive Producers and Artistic Directors to realise four innovative and visionary World Class Ceremonies, Flow productions will establish the company and oversee its financial, administrative and procurement processes.
Olympic Park contractors green boost for local communities
To mark London 2012 Sustainability Week, members of staff from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), the Delivery Partner and contractors working on the construction of the Olympic Park have been visiting schools and community centres in east London to promote sustainable initiatives and help improve community facilities.
More than 400 schoolchildren in east London have also benefited from talks from members of the ODA this week about sustainability on the Olympic Park site including Normanhurst School in Waltham Forest, St Angela’s School in Newham and Crown Woods School, Greenwich.
The ODA worked with London Fields Primary School in Hackney and Holdbrook Primary School in Broxbourne to set up 10 pocket habitats which will remain at the schools for one year and be moved back into the Olympic Park in 2011 where they will remain during the Games.
In St Helen’s School in Waltham Forest, contractors from the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre visited the school after donating planter boxes, seeds and compost so students can grow their own fruit and vegetables.
Contractors working on various Olympic Park venues and projects have helped community projects, including:
Carpenters Community Centre, Newham – contactors working on the construction of the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Basketball Arena and the utilities project worked together to paint floors and doors, fix the ceiling of the centre as well as creating an improved outside play area.
Chandos Community Centre, Newham – contractors building the Media Centre, Basketball Arena and the bridges on the Park plus the waste contractor on the Park grouped together to carry out improvements works to the centre’s outside area, including clearing weeds and rubbish and donating compost, seeds and plants.
Dan Epstein, ODA’s Head of Sustainable Development, said: ‘We are cleaning a previously industrial and contaminated area and turning it into a new urban park with brand new sports venues, homes and infrastructure. This huge project is being delivered with sustainable principles at its heart and our contractors have helped raise the bar for future projects.
‘This week, our staff and contractors have given their time, resource and expertise to help local schoolchildren understand how important sustainability is and how we all can play our part.’
Eurostar to sponsor London 2012
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) announces that Eurostar has become a tier three sponsor of London 2012, the 30th domestic sponsor.
The high-speed rail company has become Official International Rail Services Provider and will be providing London 2012 with arrival and departure services at St Pancras International for those competing and working at the Games who are travelling to London on its trains. It will also provide international rail services for London 2012’s operational requirements. Outside of its sponsorship with LOCOG, Eurostar will naturally be carrying many spectators from main land Europe to and from the Games in 2012 itself.
The cross-Channel rail operator has also acquired rights in France and Belgium and become a partner of the French and Belgian National Olympic Committees. As part of these deals, the French and Belgian Olympic teams will travel to and from the Games using Eurostar services.
As part of its sponsorship of the London 2012 Games, Eurostar will be conducting a number of activations across the UK, France and Belgium to promote London 2012 as a truly sustainable Games.
The first main Eurostar activation is the Tri-City-Athlon planned for 14 September 2010 which takes places across the three capital cities that Eurostar serves. Over one day participants will do a swim in Paris, a cycle in Brussels and a run in London.
LOCOG Chair Sebastian Coe commented: “We are thrilled that Eurostar has come onboard as a London 2012 partner. They are an iconic brand with a strong emphasis on quality and I know they will ensure that everyone coming to London 2012 by rail, either as a competitor or spectator, has the best travel experience possible from the moment they start their journey.”
Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive of Eurostar, said: “We are proud to be partners with London 2012 and believe we will play a critical role in bringing people from all over Europe. As the high speed rail link between the UK and the continent we will be bringing over a million people to and from the UK during the Games and will help make London 2012 the most sustainable Games possible.
“The Tri-City-Athlon which will take place in Paris, Brussels and London will be a record-breaking way of demonstrating the proximity of the continental capitals we serve and reinforcing the closeness of the UK to Europe. It will be a great challenge for the participants and will be a key milestone in the run-up to 2012.”
Sainsbury’s becomes official sponsor of London 2012 Paralympic Games
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has appointed Sainsbury’s as its first Paralympic-only sponsor, becoming a Tier One Partner of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. This historic commitment to the Paralympic Movement is the largest sponsorship ever of a Paralympic Games.
Sainsbury’s will work with LOCOG between now and 2012 as it seeks to deliver a spectacular sporting showcase for the world’s greatest Paralympic athletes. Sainsbury’s will utilise its network of over 850 stores to help promote the Paralympic Games in the run up to 2012 and will make Paralympic Games and ParalympicsGB merchandise available across the UK. As part of its commitment to LOCOG, Sainsbury’s will run a media campaign in 2012 to support the Paralympic Games and its colleagues will have the opportunity to be seconded to LOCOG.
Limited branding is permitted on the field of play at the Paralympic Games and Sainsbury’s will be one of two Partners to have a presence on athletes’ bibs, as well as in and around key venues at Games-time.
Sainsbury’s will also be working with LOCOG’s education team to develop opportunities related to its successful Active Kids programme as part of LOCOG’s Education scheme, ‘Get Set’.
LOCOG Chairman Sebastian Coe commented, “The support for the Paralympic Games in the UK is incredible and I’m thrilled that we are now in a position to confirm our first stand-alone Paralympics sponsor. Sainsbury’s will become a valued partner of the Paralympic Movement and will help us to promote the Games to the sport loving public of the UK. We take great pleasure in welcoming them to the London 2012 Paralympic family.”
Justin King, Sainsbury’s CEO said: “We are delighted to be the official sponsor of the 2012 London Paralympic Games. The vision on which the Paralympic Movement was founded complements Sainsbury’s commitment to promote a healthy, fitter lifestyle across all ages and abilities. Together with our customers and colleagues, we look forward to supporting a successful 2012 Paralympic Games.”
Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said: “The IPC is proud to see Sainsbury’s as the first Paralympic Games-only sponsor for London 2012. With such a well-known company becoming an exclusive partner, this will set new promotional opportunities for the Paralympic Games and the Movement, leaving a powerful legacy in communities across the UK.”
LOCOG’s agreement with Sainsbury’s covers the London 2012 Paralympic Games only.
London 2012 Sign Up campaign is just the ticket
Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and Debbie Jevans, Director of Sport will today update the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) on London 2012’s progress, highlighting the success of its ‘Sign Up’ programme. Since its launch in March, over one million people have registered their interest in London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic tickets via www.tickets.london2012.com.
96% of registrations have come from UK residents, with 32% of registrations coming from Greater London, 27% coming from the south east and 41% coming from the rest of the UK. There has been an even spread across all Olympic and Paralympic sports too, with over 400,000 people registering an interest in Paralympic sports and at least 100,000 expressions of interest for each of the 26 Olympic sport.
Sebastian Coe commented, “We are thrilled by the level of interest in our Sign Up programme. What has been really interesting is that there has been significant interest across all Olympic and Paralympic sports. It should come as no surprise that the British public is so enthused by the prospect of world class sport coming to these shores, but it is pleasing to see that some of the lesser-known Olympic and Paralympic sports are also set to be well supported. I would urge people to continue to sign up and ensure they are in the front row for information between now and 2012.”
Olympic tickets go on sale in spring 2011 via an application process. Those who sign up on www.tickets.london2012.com will receive ongoing newsletters about sport events between now and 2012 and crucially will be among the first to find out about when the process opens in 2011. LOCOG is developing a ‘Fans in Front’ programme aimed at ensuring enthusiastic and knowledgeable sports fans will be seated together at venues to help ensure Olympic and Paralympic events will have the best atmosphere possible in 2012.
Agreement signed for Games-time anti-doping provision
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and UK Anti-Doping have today signed a memorandum of understanding about how UK Anti-Doping will collaborate with LOCOG in delivering the Doping Control Programme at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Under the authority and direction of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, LOCOG will collect and test approximately 5,000 samples at the Olympic Games and 1,200 at the Paralympic Games. This is a significant increase from the previous Games and represents record numbers.
Debbie Jevans, LOCOG Director of Sport, said: “We need to have a strong message that drugs cheats are not welcome at the London Games. The input of UK Anti-Doping, our new national anti-doping organisation, will assist LOCOG in the delivery of a world class anti-doping programme at the London Games.”
Andy Parkinson, UK Anti-Doping Chief Executive said: “UK Anti-Doping is pleased to work with and support LOCOG in the lead-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We are partnering with LOCOG to develop a comprehensive programme of testing, athlete education and training for anti-doping volunteers in the lead-up to, and during, the London 2012 Games.”
Key elements of the agreement are:
* LOCOG to recruit specialist Doping Control Officers (DCOs), with the assistance of UK Anti-Doping, to volunteer in the LOCOG Doping Control Programme; volunteer DCOs will be sourced from UK Anti-Doping, other national anti-doping organisations, International Federations and local NHS Trusts
- UK Anti-Doping will provide a training programme for Doping Control Officers, Blood Collection Officers and chaperones
- UK Anti-Doping will provide expert staff to assist LOCOG to deliver their anti-doping programme during the Games
- LOCOG and UK Anti-Doping to work together to provide doping control at test events in 2011 and 2012
- UK Anti-Doping to deliver anti-doping education at selected test events.
School and college leavers given opportunity of a lifetime with London 2012
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) announced it is giving 15 bright and talented school or college leavers the chance to play their part in the biggest show on earth.
LOCOG is looking for people who have completed or are just about to complete their A2s or equivalent to join the organisation as part of its Get Ahead programme. The scheme gives the fifteen selected people the opportunity to take up two two-month placements in various departments at LOCOG before taking up a permanent role in the functional area which best matches their skills.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: “The Get Ahead programme is a fantastic opportunity for people to get involved in the greatest sporting show on earth. We want people to be inspired by and get involved with the London 2012 Games and this is a great way for them to do this. And we will undoubtedly benefit from having these dynamic and talented people join us. I look forward to welcoming the next 15 school or college leavers in September.”
Placements will be available in a wide-range of departments across LOCOG including Commercial, Communications, Human Resources, Culture, Operations, Sport, Venues & Infrastructure and Legal teams – giving the school leavers an excellent understanding of how an Organising Committee works.
The scheme offers a competitive salary and the opportunity for the school or college leavers to achieve a further qualification that is relevant to the permanent position they take up. The successful candidates will study with a local college so that they can gain a recognised NVQ qualification. The positions will be based at the headquarters of the London 2012 Organising Committee in Canary Wharf, London.
Candidates should go to www.london2012.com/getahead to find out more about the scheme and the application process. There they will also be able to read about the experiences of the some of the people already on the team.
Applications will be accepted until Sunday 11 April 2010.