On Your Marks, Get Set London ...

Ken Livingstone, Sebastian Coe, Manny Lewis and Tessa Jowell officially launch the London 2012 Roadshow.

London 2012, The Mayor of London and the London Development Agency launched the Get Set London Roadshow today in London's Trafalgar Square, to celebrate the fact that London's Olympiad begins in August 2008.

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, Manny Lewis, Chief Executive of the London Development Agency and The Rt Hon Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics and London, officially launched the Roadshow.

Also lending their support were Olympic, European and World triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards; 13 year-old Plymouth diving prodigy, Thomas Daley, tipped for success after winning the gold at the Australian Elite Junior Nationals in 2005 and Shanaze Reade, the 19 year old world-class cycling champion, also hoping for medal success at London 2012; Giles Long, Paralympic Swimming Gold Medallist.

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee explained how the Games will benefit sport in the capital,

"Five new permanent venues are being constructed for London 2012, which will be used for both community and competitive sporting events. These venues will give our sports stars of the future better facilities to train and compete at the highest level. The Games are also an opportunity for all Londoners to get involved, both on and off the sporting field."

The Mayor also launched his 'Five Legacy Commitment' Document today, an annual publication with updates on the delivery of programmes, progress, and how people can get involved in the many opportunities offered across the city.

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone said,

"The Games are already delivering its lasting legacy. We have seen a number of programmes start up providing support to businesses, improving skills, securing jobs and delivering infrastructure improvements, and it has been encouraging to see the eagerness of Londoners to realise their potential and get involved. Today's launch of the Five Legacy Commitment Document sets out our aims and achievements to developing this legacy further, and the London Roadshow is key in ensuring we up our game to give everyone, from all backgrounds, the opportunity to benefit from the once in a lifetime opportunity the 2012 Games offer."

The Rt Hon Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics and London said,

"The Get Set London 2008 Roadshow will be a big success over the months ahead in encouraging people to get involved in so many different ways in the 2012 Games, culminating in April with the Beijing torch relay coming to London. London 2012 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for every individual. Today's event, and the many others scheduled to take place across London, are excellent examples of how to make sure we all maximise the benefits the Games offer."

The Roadshow offers Londoners a unique opportunity to find out how the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will increase jobs and skills opportunities and benefit culture, sport, business and regeneration in the capital - from the 9,000 new homes that will be built in the Olympic Park to the £17bn investment on the transport system.

Advisors from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and JobcentrePlus are supporting the Roadshow by providing information about the job and skills opportunities available across all London boroughs in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Through a range of different sized pods this unique Roadshow will then go on to visit all 33 London boroughs, between January - April 2008. The Get Set London Roadshow offer every Londoner and local business the chance to find out how they can get involved right now in the 2012 Games.

These local events will take place in shopping centres, parks and town squares and are aimed at the whole community. The pods will feature interactive sporting equipment, information on how musical acts can compete for the incredible opportunity to perform during the Handover celebration in London in August 2008, as well information on the opportunities for jobs, skills development and business in each local area.

Manny Lewis, the Chief Executive of London Development Agency expanded on the business and skills opportunities at the Games,

"The Roadshow is a fantastic tool to highlight how the LDA is delivering a legacy now through the Games. We want to engage as many people as possible with the training programmes and job opportunities. Our goal is to get 70,000 people across London into work by 2012.

"The borough visits will also reach out to local business communities. We will be able to offer advice in preparing their services for the Games and how to compete for contracts in everything from construction and tourism to hospitality and technology."

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

To find out when the 'Get Set London' Roadshow will be visiting each London borough, visit www.london2012.com

More information

For further information please contact Amy Sherman at:

Freud Communications
Tel: 020 3003 6551
Email: amy.sherman@freud.com