West Midlands

Our vision

The West Midlands wants to promote itself as a world-class sporting region and build upon Much Wenlock’s history as the inspiration for the modern Olympic Games.

We are well on our way to doing this with Birmingham hosting the European Indoor Athletics Championships and Coventry hosting the UK School Games in 2007.

Achieving our vision

We will achieve our 2012 vision by focusing on seven key areas:

• Achieving potential – We want to inspire and help young people to achieve their potential – in sport, culture, business, learning or contributing to community life. We will focus on those who need the greatest support.
• Boosting business – we will use the opportunity of the Games and increased international attention to help local businesses to develop and grow.
• Encouraging an active lifestyle – We want everybody in the region to embrace the spirit of the Games and to commit to a healthy, active lifestyle. We will develop our sports facilities, both for elite athletes and at grassroots level.
• Promoting the region to visitors – We will showcase the West Midlands nationally and internationally, as a world-class region to visit and in which to live, work, study and do business. This will include staging international sporting and cultural events.
• Building on our cultural history – Our region has a rich cultural diversity and a strong Olympic heritage, through William Penny Brookes and the Much Wenlock Olympian Society. We will promote these through the Games, using them as an opportunity to create and celebrate closer, inclusive communities.
• Developing in a sustainable way – We will use the 2012 Games to promote a lasting commitment to sustainable development.
• Creating long-lasting benefits – We will make sure that in each of these areas we aim not just for 2012. We want to make changes with a long-term effect, to help future generations growing up in the region.

Planning and delivery – making it happen

The following groups are working to maximise the benefits of the 2012 Games:

• West Midlands Leadership Group for the 2012 Games – the lead body seeking to maximise benefits for the region.
• West Midlands Advisory Group for the 2012 Games –established to sit between the strategic Leadership Group and the open-to-all Partnership Group.
• West Midlands Partnership Group for the 2012 Games – advises the Leadership Group and is a key forum for awareness-raising and sharing information around the Games. Its membership is intentionally broad - currently attendance at partnership events is open to all stakeholders interested in the 2012 Games.
• Working groups and theme leads – a small number of sub-groups managing particular areas of interest for the region. They report to the Leadership Group.

View full details of regional plans in the West Midlands priorities document Prepare for 2012.

Download the organisational structure in the West Midlands (PDF, 16kB).