Olympics Minister visits East Midlands region flying high for 2012
25/09
05 March 2009
Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell, today (Thursday 5 March) visited the East Midlands to see how business, sport and culture in the region are capitalising on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The minister visited Leicester firm Infoterra which was contracted by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to take aerial photographs of the Olympic Park area in East London. The photography, taken at 25cm and 5cm resolution, provided accurate information about the area – from the general road network down to details such as man-hole covers. This geospatial data was used to help the ODA plan the clean-up and clearing of the site in preparation for the start of construction.
Infoterra employs 100 staff at their Leicester office. The company won their contract after registering on the CompeteFor brokerage service that matches companies to opportunities supplying London 2012 contractors. To date 29 businesses registered in the East Midlands have won work directly supplying the ODA.
The visit to the East Midlands is part of a series of trips the Olympics Minister will be making to regions across the UK to see how the Games are benefiting the country. While in the region Ms Jowell also spoke at the annual Culture Club conference in Leicester; attended the launch of the Special Olympics Education Resource Pack at New College, Leicester; and visited Loughborough University which has been listed as a pre-Games training camp enabling them to potentially host international teams preparing for the Games.
Tessa Jowell said:
“The 2012 Games is a key part of the Government’s economic recovery plan providing jobs, training, and billions of pounds worth of contracts for UK firms.
“Infoterra is a perfect example of the vital role that businesses all over the country are playing in delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games and in return how the benefits of the games are spreading way beyond London.
“The East Midlands has taken the Olympic spirit to its heart showing real ambition and drive to maximize the unique opportunities that the Games bring to the whole country.”
Tracy Croft, East Midlands Co-ordinator for the 2012 Games, based at East Midlands Development Agency (emda) said:
“I am delighted that East Midlands businesses have already secured contracts to supply London 2012 through the CompeteFor service. There are opportunities for all sorts of businesses to win contracts for the Games and I would urge all companies in the region to register their interest now.”
Notes for editors
- The ODA and LOCOG expect to award around 7,000 direct contracts generating approximately 75,000 supply chain opportunities over the coming years. Of the 860 companies that have won work with the ODA 98 per cent are UK based, over two-thirds (69 per cent) are small or medium sized businesses and just under half are based outside of London.
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