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Olympics Minister uncovers 2012 success in South East

The visits were part of a series of trips by the Olympics Minister to see how the Games are benefiting the UK and coincided with the International Olympic Committee’s two-day visit to London to see how preparations for the Games are progressing.

The Minister visited Oxford Archaeology who were contracted by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to conduct an archaeological investigation at the London 2012 rowing venue at Eton Dorney Lake following changes to its layout. They won their contract after registering on the CompeteFor brokerage service which matches companies to opportunities supplying London 2012 contractors.

Ms Jowell also met Sir Roger Bannister and Olympic and Commonwealth medallist and President of the Oxford 2009 Boat Race crew, Colin Smith, as part of a visit to sports facilities at Oxford University which have been listed as potential pre-Games Training Camps, enabling them to host international teams preparing for the Games.

She also visited pupils Cressex Community School in High Wycombe who have been working with disabled artists and athletes to create new art work which tells the story of the Paralympics as part of the Driving Inspiration project. Pupils in five Buckinghamshire schools have taken part in the scheme, which has been recognised as part of the London 2012 Inspire Mark programme.

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.

“Oxford Archaeology is a perfect example of the vital role that businesses all over the country are playing in delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This shows how the benefits of the Games are spreading beyond London.

“Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire have taken the Olympic spirit to their heart, showing real ambition and drive in ensuring that they maximise the unique opportunities that the Games bring to the whole country.”

To date 172 businesses registered in the South East have won work directly supplying the ODA with many more companies benefiting from opportunities created through the supply chains.

Organisers of the London 2012 Games recently announced that there is still approximately £1.7 billion worth of Olympic contracts to be won in sectors such as technology, security, ceremony delivery, facilities management, design and temporary construction.  This builds on the £5 billion worth of contracts already directly procured by the ODA, nearly all of which have gone to UK firms, half of them based outside of London and over two-thirds of which are small to medium sized enterprises.

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Notes for editors

1. The ODA and LOCOG expect to award £6 billion worth of direct contracts generating tens of thousands of supply chain opportunities. Of the 1081 companies that have won work with the ODA 98 per cent are UK based, two-thirds (68 per cent) are small or medium sized businesses and just under half are based outside of London.
   
   
2. The ODA recently published a map giving a snapshot of around 1,500 companies spread across the UK already supplying goods and services to the for the venues and infrastructure needed for the Games. This is available at the London 2012 website.
   
   
3. A total of up to 30,000 workers will help build the Olympic Park in the period up to 2012 with more than 7,000 workers currently employed on the Park and Village. As the ‘big build’ accelerates the workforce is expected to peak at 11,000 on the Olympic Park and Village in 2010. The ODA is also creating 2,250 training, apprenticeship and work placement opportunities on the Olympic site. To support this work the ODA, in awarding contracts from January 2009, are imposing a contractual requirement on companies that at least three per cent of their workforce should be apprentices.
   
   
4. The Inspire programme seeks to inspire change across the UK by harnessing the excitement of the Games to drive participation. It recognises high quality, non-commercial, participative projects from Government and the third sector that promote participation in the 2012 legacy areas: sport, culture, education, sustainability, volunteering, and business opportunities. Over 300 projects have already joined, and have access to the Inspire mark, the non-commercial 2012 logo, as well as an exclusive range of communications materials and support. More information is at the London 2012 website. 
   
   
5. 135 facilities in the South East have been listed at potential pre-Games Training Camps, three in Oxfordshire and 25 in Buckinghamshire.

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