London 2012 blog

Earlier in the week, I was with the London 2012 Roadshow – which was visiting the Royal Norfolk Show, just outside of Norwich.

For anyone who has never visited their local county show – I would recommend it – from giant tractors, to giant tortoises there is genuinely something for everyone.

So it was the ideal setting for our Roadshow bus, which having braved the weather coming back from Scotland settled in for two days in Norfolk.

A lot of local kids were given the day off school – or came down with their school and the bus proved to be a popular destination.

Not only were there over 600 pledges made via the website from the show, but our pledge boards were also filled with young people’s pledges for 2012 – from wanting to be a vet by 2012, to wanting to do the triple jump at the Games in 2012 (no, it wasn’t me) I really felt that the kids who came by were genuinely excited by the opportunities that London 2012 offered.

Working with the National Lottery and Active Norfolk, there were also lots of sports to be tried outside the bus – I had a quick go at the standing jump, but soon found out that even former Olympic athletes need to warm up as I reported the first (and only) injury of the day - tweaking my Achilles. Luckily it didn’t stop me from partaking in a gentle game of dodge ball.

We have talked a lot about getting kids involved in the Games and getting kids more active – it was at the heart of what we promised in Singapore – so it was fantastic to see our promise in action.

I left the Royal Norfolk Show with a spring in my step (well, ok a slight limp) genuinely excited that the passion for the Games is well and truly alive and well in Norfolk.

Having got the train up from London in the morning, Norwich is a little over two hours away so the people of Norfolk can absolutely be part of the Games, whether it be local businesses, spectators, volunteers or maybe even in the triple jump…