Archive for the ‘London’ tag
Equalling London 2012
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games give councils ample chances to catch the public’s imagination – not just in sport, but in the arts, culture and education too.
Even before London was declared host for the 2012 Olympic Games, Kent County Council had laid plans to reap benefits from the sporting spectacular.
“The Olympics is a one-off opportunity to inspire people,” says Chris Hespe, the council’s head of sport, leisure and Olympics. “We wanted to do something whether it was going to be London or Paris.”
Several years on, Kent County Council and four other councils — Dorset County Council, Essex County Council, Greenwich Council and Hackney LBC — have been awarded beacon status for the way in which they are using the London Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy to encourage their communities to be more active.
The games, says Mr Hespe, is an opportunity to inspire people far beyond sport — in areas such as education, the arts and volunteering. And for the council, it is an opportunity to achieve and exceed its ambitions — whether in terms of inward investment, tourism or regeneration.
