During our bid to host the Games, London promised to connect young people with the power of the Games and in doing so inspire them to choose sport. Wenlock and Mandeville, the London 2012 mascots, have proved to be one of the most powerful ways for us to deliver this vision.
How were the mascots chosen?
In October 2008 we advertised the opportunity to design the mascots on CompeteFor , the London 2012 procurement website. After more than 100 designers, artists and agencies applied, we spent the next few months selecting the best ideas and developing them based on this feedback.
When the final three ideas were tested with people all round the UK, we learnt that the British public didn't just want a character, they also want a story. We also tested the ideas with toy industry experts who agreed that Wenlock and Mandeville were the best choices.
Based on all the feedback we received, we selected Wenlock as the official Olympic mascot and Mandeville as the official Paralympic mascot for London 2012 in December 2009. The mascots were designed by London creative agency Iris.
Meet Wenlock
The name Wenlock is inspired by Much Wenlock, a small town in Shropshire.
In 1890, Baron Pierre de Coubertin was invited to visit Much Wenlock by Dr William Penny Brookes, an advocate of physical education in schools.
De Coubertin watched Dr Brookes' ‘Much Wenlock Games’, comprising athletics and traditional country sports with a procession of flag bearers, competitors and officials.
In 1894, de Coubertin’s proposal to establish the Olympic Games in a modern form was approved and the very first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens two years later.
The mascots in action
Both Wenlock and Mandeville have a significant presence online, with their own mascot website as well as individual Twitter and Facebook sites. On the website you could
They are also a key part of London 2012’s ‘Get Set’ education programme, with pupils able to follow the mascots’ progress as they learn about the Olympic and Paralympic Values.
- Make your own Mascot - dress the Mascots in their own British and Sporting clothing
- Play interactive games including 'Swim Wenlock Swim' and 'Super Trampoline'
- Watch the mascots' adventures in their animated films, written by Michael Morpurgo and starring Team GB and Paralympics GB athletes
- See what the mascots have been getting up in their latest photos
Mascot films
The mascots have starred in three CGI animated films, designed to encourage young people to take up sport and to inspire the next generation of storytellers. The fourth and final film is scheduled to be released in May 2012.
