First London 2012 Inspire project signs up to become Local Leaders
13 Jan 2012
StreetGames Legacy Leaders is the very first London 2012 Inspire project to sign up to plan a London 2012 Local Leader celebration this Summer in Cornwall.
The ‘Local Leaders’ programme, the first initiative of its time run by an organising committee, invites people across the UK to create their own Games celebrations. The programme is open from now through the Olympic Torch Relay and other key moments during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A special decathlon-style event will be held in Falmouth on Friday May 18, 2012 to celebrate the beginning of the Olympic Torch Relay at nearby Land’s End the following day and which will pass through Falmouth.
The StreetGames youngsters will participate in a number of Olympic sports with extra points to be gained for sportsmanship in the event which is being organised by LEAPActive Cornwall.
LEAPActive Cornwall runs six to eight sessions per week across Cornwall giving 150 young people the opportunity to participate in tag rugby, football, cricket, StreetDance and multi-sport activities.
Lewis Jones, Physical Activity Coordinator for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT, said: ‘The feelgood factor of the 2012 Games has reached us here in Cornwall. We wanted to do something to tie in with the Olympic Torch Relay setting off from Cornwall and this event will allow our young people to try their hand at the sports they will see the athletes playing just a few weeks later.’
Seb Coe, Chair, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games said: “The Local Leaders programme is ensuring the legacy of the 2012 Games starts now as projects like Street Games are enabling people across the United Kingdom to come together and celebrate the London 2012 Games.”
Jane Ashworth, CEO of StreetGames said: “This is a fabulous opportunity for ordinary people to join in the celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. StreetGames will be encouraging the people involved in our many, many projects and programmes to emulate the athletes competing at the 2012 Games. Traditionally, young people have watched their heroes and then tried to copy them. StreetGames wants to give every young person the means to carry on that tradition.”
StreetGames is an award-winning charity which takes sport straight to the doorstep of young people living in disadvantaged communities across the UK.
StreetGames - Legacy Leaders is StreetGames' commitment to helping more young people play and enjoy sport by 2012 and beyond. This Inspire project has been running for over four years and is all about the people and projects on the ground. Through its work StreetGames has helped 170,000 young people who would otherwise not have the opportunity to access sport.
London 2012 organisers are encouraging anyone who is looking to celebrate the London 2012 Games to sign up to be a Local Leader.
Whether they invite three friends or their whole community, London 2012 will provide them with the tools to make their celebration one to remember.
For people who want to be involved they just need to pick an occasion and get planning. The Local Leaders website,
www.london2012.com/localleaders, has ideas, tools and tips to get people started planning an event.
Ideas put forward from communities across the UK include Garden for the Games, Line the Streets for the Olympic Torch Relay, hosting a sports quiz, party at home by throwing an Opening Night In and Super Saturday, the big medal-winning weekend during the Games.
The Inspire programme has being running for over three years and through the programme more that 2,000 projects have been awarded the coveted Inspire mark for their work in one of six areas: sustainability, education, volunteering, business, sport or culture.