Eastern Region Set for 2012 Windfall

121/08
20 November 2008

Norfolk and the whole of the East of England are set to be big winners from the 2012 Olympics, according to Olympics minister, Tessa Jowell.

The county and the region are ideally placed to claim their share of the £6 billion worth of business contracts on offer as well as the estimated £2.1 billion tourism dividend expected as a result of the Games, she told businesses, sports people and cultural leaders from across the county in Norwich today.
 
At the meeting with 2012 stakeholders, at Norwich City football ground, the minister heard about the region’s plans to capitalise on the Games, including increasing the number of international and business tourists by three per cent a year between 2009 and 2015; ensuring businesses in the East of England win between five and 10 per cent of the value of contracts from the 2012 Games and use London 2012 to raise participation in culture and sporting activity.
 
The minister also met potential young athletes of the future during a visit to Notre Dame High School, Norwich. The school is a strong promoter of sporting excellence and equality in sport, recently competing in the Disability Games.
 
Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics, said:
 
“Every part of the country has something to be gained from London hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. I want to make sure that every region does what it can to make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity.
 
“The East of England, with two Olympic venues in Essex and Hertfordshire, has big ambitions for London 2012 and am I delighted that so many projects are already underway to get the region involved with the Games, contributing to its success and reaping a real dividend from the Games being in Britain.
 
“With five sports facilities in Norfolk meeting the tough criteria set for inclusion in the official guide to pre-Games training camps for 2012, the county has a real chance to experience the spirit of the Games right on its doorstep.”
 
Daniel Cox, Leader of Norfolk County Council said:

“Norfolk is determined to play a significant part in the success of London 2012, either by fostering our home grown talent, through our very successful sports and cultural foundation to support rising talent, or through our Build Norfolk initiative to grow small and medium sized construction companies to ensure they grasp the sizeable opportunities which the Olympics present.”
 
Tessa Jowell also visited the BBC Big Screen in Norwich which was the focus of the city’s celebrations marking the handover ceremony at the close of the Beijing 2008 Games.

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Notes to Editors

The Minister for the Olympics’ visit forms part of a series of events being held across the country to ensure the widest benefits from London hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

  1. Notre Dame RC High School has 1,435 students. The school is fully involved in promoting sporting excellence. It provides a full programme of extra curricular sports activities in addition to timetable PE lessons. The school took part in the Disability Youth Games in October, sending a team of five students and have an inclusive policy in lessons and where possible in school teams. Disabled students have represented the school alongside able bodied pupils.

  2. The five Norfolk centres bidding to be Olympic Training Camps are: Central beach, Great Yarmouth; Cromer Tennis and Squash Club, Cromer; Lynnsport and Leisure Park, Kings Lynn; Norwich City Football Club Colney Training Centre, Norwich and Whitlingham Outdoor Education Centre, Norwich.

  3. Norwich also hosts the BBC Big Screen (Live Site). The initiative is a partnership between LOCOG, the BBC and Local Authorities and is one of 17 across the UK. It is currently the only permanent screen in the Eastern region and has proved popular with the public. The BBC hopes to work closely in Norfolk with Active Norfolk, the county sports partnership, and Local Authorities in the future to hold high profile events to engage with the diverse communities who use Chapelfield to promote sport and physical activity and to raise awareness of the London 2012 Games.

  4. Sixty-one companies in the Eastern region have been awarded business contracts as a result of the Games.

  5. Two Olympic events are being staged in the East of England - canoeing at Broxbourne in Hertfordshire and mountain biking at Hadleigh Farm in Essex.

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