Nevertheless, I attended all the interviews for the Get Ahead School Leavers' Programme and had many chats with the HR team about how it could work with me travelling into work every day. I didn't want to miss out on all the fun stuff at work because of rushing out to get a train.
Despite the worries, London 2012 offered me the job and I would have being a fool not to accept. Just showing how London 2012 is not just for those living in London, it reaches out much further than that and real offers opportunities for all ages.
Yesterday I attended a conference in Burton upon Trent which is near my home town; the conference was all about London 2012 opportunities for us in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent. It is so lovely to see how even though many people are not in the heart of the action so much is still happening.
Schools and colleges are also benefitting and putting themselves out to take advantage of the positives this Olympics and Paralympics bring. We celebrated the first school in Staffordshire to join the Get Set network (well done Cardinal Griffin!) And looked forward to the coming year preparing the Midlands' part of the Artists taking the lead project for the Cultural Olympiad.
In a way I am glad that I get the best of worlds. Working in London every day I get see the action and how the capital is getting ready to host this amazing games. Then I get to come home and see the opportunities that the rest of the country can embrace and spread a bit of my Olympic and Paralympic enthusiasm to them!
