London 2012 blog

Last Friday I invited the ODA’s Head of Procurement, Morag Stuart, to my constituency of Waveney to speak to local businesses about what opportunities the London 2012 Games have to offer them. I wanted her to come because in spite of the huge range of contracts available to businesses of all sizes, not one business in Suffolk has secured a contract yet.

At the meeting, local business representatives discovered the level of contracts up for grabs in the East of England, and the fact that, already, regional businesses had won 50 Games-related contracts.

I wanted local businesses to have every opportunity to win work and employment for our area, and Morag showed that there are real possibilities for some of them. One Lowestoft company hoping to win work already supplies goalposts to all the top football and rugby grounds in the country, including Wembley.

It's clear that London 2012 could inject a considerable amount of money into our local economy. This, along with new sporting facilities and inspiration for young people, shows the 2012 Games have much to offer communities all over the UK – not just in London.

I'm really pleased that Morag came to Lowestoft, and the ODA can now be said to have reached even Britain's most easterly point in its efforts to spread the benefits of London 2012 around the country!