England’s Northwest will contribute to the finest Olympic Games and Paralympic Games the world has ever seen.
We will use the Games as a catalyst to derive the maximum economic, sporting, health and social benefits, and provide our people with opportunities to engage with the pride, passion and spirit of London 2012.
How will we achieve our vision?
Since 'Be Inspired' - the Northwest Legacy Framework for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games - was launched in May 2007, real progress has been made in helping to ensure the Northwest plays a full part in, and benefits from, the opportunities presented by London 2012.
We will focus on the following three themes to achieve our vision:
Sporting
- Getting active
The Northwest is playing an active role in helping to lay the foundations for the UK to become a world-leading sporting nation, contributing to the overall Government Legacy Action Plan target of getting two million more adults active by 2012.
Social
- Delivering a cultural programme
We are delivering a high-quality cultural programme in the region which not only showcases the Northwest on a global scale, but also provides opportunities for young people to fulfil their creative potential and inspires a new generation of people to engage in cultural activity.
- Inspiring young people
We are helping to ensure young people are at the heart of legacy, inspiring them to get involved in London 2012-related activity through their school, college or education provider.
- Improving health and wellbeing
London 2012 creates opportunities to improve health across the UK through encouraging more people to take up sport or physical activity. In the Northwest we are capitalising on these opportunities and use the Games as a catalyst to address health inequalities.
- Encouraging volunteering
We are use the Games to strengthen the number of people involved in volunteering, improve pathways into employment and further education and ensure our region makes the most of Games volunteering opportunities.
- Engaging the region
A key element of our work is to engage both stakeholders and the general public, to ensure our legacy programme impacts across the whole of the Northwest. A major part of this is to increase the number of projects participating in the Inspire Programme, to showcase our Games-inspired projects and events.
Economic
- Growing business
We are developing fitter, more competitive businesses in the Northwest by equipping them with the skills needed to compete for, and win, Games-related contracts.
- Staging major events
We are using the Games to capitalise on the region’s reputation for attracting and hosting major sporting, cultural and business events, which make a significant impact to the Northwest economy.
- Developing our tourism offer
A key focus is to use the opportunities of London 2012 to help grow the region’s £13bn visitor economy. We are doing this through improving the visitor welcome, and driving up the quality of our tourism offer, increasing the value of the sector post-2012.
- Improving skills and employment
The region has developed a framework outlining the opportunities and key programmes which will help to generate skills and employment benefits from London 2012 in the Northwest.
Planning and delivery - making it happen
The region’s legacy plans have been developed and are being driven by the Northwest Steering Group, chaired by Andy Worthington (the Northwest member on the London 2012 Nations & Regions Group). The Steering Group brings together key partners responsible for each legacy theme, representatives from each sub-region in the Northwest, and key regional and Government agencies including the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).
Alongside the Northwest Steering Group, there are also a number of legacy groups that have been established to drive forward specific strands of activity, for example health, business and education.
Contact information
For all enquiries related to the North West’s plans to benefit from the 2012 Games email: northwest@ london2012.com
