The London night sky was transformed this evening like never before as the BT Tower, one of the capital’s most iconic landmarks, was spectacularly lit up with a firework display to celebrate 1,000 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Read more of “London 2012 and BT mark 1,000 days to go by lighting up London”
2 Comments on this post
Brian Griffin, Photographer, 30 October 2009
I've been working over the past few months on the National Portrait Gallery (NPG)/BT 'Road to 2012' photographic project; the first of the portraits were unveiled today.
We're actually still in the initial period. So far I've taken eight portraits – six of which are now exhibited – which will probably lead to 20 portraits from me.
Read more of “Energised through being part of the Road to 2012 photographic project”
0 Comments on this post
Jacqui, Weymouth and Portland Representative, 30 October 2009
We are all so widely enthusiastic, not only to be the Sailing venue for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games but the fact it is only 1,000 days to go on Saturday 31st October. We somehow wanted to capture the moment by involving an Olympic class boat and some local children who sail, and also show off an international iconic land mark on our World Heritage Coast.
Hmm – thinking caps firmly on.
After much debating and ideas that went from sky diving to underwater diving formations we chose a picture that would show four Lasers (a type of...
Read more of “1,000 days to go sets sail in Weymouth and Portland”
1 Comments on this postI had the honour to run a leg of the Delhi 2010 Baton Relay when it was launched at Buckingham Palace by the Her Majesty The Queen and Indian President Pratibha Patil.
Kelly Holmes was also a Baton Bearer, along with Indian’s only Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, 1983 World Cup winning cricket captain Kapil Dev and Monty Panesar amongst others.
Read more of “Honoured to be a Delhi 2010 Baton Bearer”
0 Comments on this post
Shabana, Legal Department PA, 29 October 2009
Last week I was one of 10 members of an Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) team taking part in the first ODA staff volunteering project. Staff will be supported to take up volunteering opportunities in the boroughs closest to the Olympic Park, working closely to identify projects through London 2012's Changing Places programme.
We went to Cable Street Community Gardens in Tower Hamlets, which were founded in the late 1970s as part of a Friends of the Earth initiative to reclaim derelict land for community use. The plots are organic and lovingly tended by people living nearby.
Cable Street Community...
Read more of “Making a difference by volunteering in the local community”
0 Comments on this postCouncillor Merrick Cockell, Chairman of London Councils, 29 October 2009
Last month we asked Londoners to tell the world what they think makes their borough great with the London Landmark pin vote. I'm pleased to say we had a fabulous response – thanks to all who voted. you can see comments from some of the people who voted on my previous blog announcing the competition.
The results are now in...as voted by Londoners the pin badges will feature the following landmarks...designs will be unveiled early next year...
Read more of “London landmark pin badges - the results are in!”
0 Comments on this post
Pieter-Jon, Operations Manager, Atos Origin, 29 October 2009
At Atos Origin we're behind the technology delivering athlete information and results to the world’s media at Games time – in just 0.3 seconds. To mark 1,000 days to go to London 2012, we're hosting tonight's British Olympic Association Olympic Gold Ball for the first time. It's a pretty good opportunity to have a look at some serious stats from Team GB athletes – who in 2012 will hopefully deliver some record-breaking results we can relay to the world!
0 Comments on this post
Bill, Director of Ceremonies, Education and Live Sites, 27 October 2009
It's quite soon after my last blog to be writing again, but I heard something extraordinary last night. The distinguished musicologist sitting next to me in the Barbican Concert Hall said he had other words for it – and from his expression I concluded they would not have been benign...
Read more of “Celebration of the British Council was music to my ears”
0 Comments on this post
Aimee Felus, Community Engagement Manager, Thames21, 27 October 2009
Much has been made of the regeneration that the 2012 Games are bringing to East London. The ever-changing skyline of Stratford is proof that at least physically, London is changing as a result of hosting the Games.
Read more of “Are the Olympic Games really making a difference to East London?”
0 Comments on this postIt was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Jack Poole, Chairman of the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee, last week.
Jack was a great man, a passionate believer in the Games, their values and the benefits hosting the Games can bring to a nation. He spearheaded Vancouver's winning bid - it was his greatest wish to see the Winter Games come to that city.
Read more of “Saddened by the loss of Jack Poole, Vancouver 2010 Chairman”
0 Comments on this postBill, Director of Ceremonies, Education and Live Sites, 23 October 2009
It looked like a run-down warehouse, but it sounded like an awards ceremony. The announcement of the UK's largest programme of public art commissions happened yesterday in South East London. The whoops, cheers and applause which greeted each of the 12 commissions made it feel more like the BAFTAs or the BRITs.
Read more of “Artists taking the lead: Winning commissions are already stimulating debate”
1 Comments on this postClaire, Education Team, 22 October 2009
What do Hartlepool, enterprise, a DCSF minister and BP all have in common? The answer is fun and engaging London 2012 education session for young people and educators from across the Hartlepool and Sunderland area.
Read more of “London 2012 partner BP is doing great work with schools – across the UK”
0 Comments on this postThis week we launched the new London 2012 exhibition at City Hall – the home of the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London.
Watch this video as Boris Johnson popped down to the exhibition and met members of the ODA Construction Crew.
The exhibition is free and is on for three weeks. It includes a new interactive simulator that allows visitors to navigate their way around a computer-generated version of the Olympic Park. There are also models of the Park and major venues such as the Olympic Stadium and Velodrome.
Come down to City Hall to take a look!
Read more of “Mayor of London visits new London 2012 exhibition”
0 Comments on this post
Tony Hall, Chair, Cultural Olympiad Board, 21 October 2009
I couldn't have had a better induction to the vibrancy, energy and talent in the Cultural Olympiad outside London than on my visit to Bristol last Friday.
I'm still learning the ropes and wanted to understand what's going on, what excites people and what a difference we're making. So I asked our Creative Programmer, Richard, to pull together a programme. I came back to London inspired and excited by what people are already delivering in the South West.
Read more of “Young morris and musical talent: just part of the Cultural Olympiad in the South West”
0 Comments on this postFor some reason most people think that icons are old. Well, here's one that's not. He's just 21, and he has a tongue-piercing. Step forward, Matthew Mitcham.
Read more of “Olympic Icons: Matthew Mitcham, Diver”
1 Comments on this postThere are very few jobs where you find yourself dancing on the Southbank with your colleague at 10am in the morning to fabulous retro tunes. To a sound track of 70's and 80's classics I found myself greeting guests at the recent launch of Unlimited, the latest major project of the Cultural Olympiad to get going.
Read more of “How could Unlimited help to transform disability arts?”
1 Comments on this post
Yasmine, London 2012 Brand team, 16 October 2009
The London 2012 pictograms are launching today and having been working as a Graphic Designer for 6 years now I can't express how excited I am to see these finally presented to the outside world!
Read more of “How will the world react to our Olympic 'pictograms'?”
16 Comments on this postMuhammed, Trailblazer volunteer, 15 October 2009
Read more of “Don't be surprised by fireworks this weekend - it's Diwali”
0 Comments on this post
Alex, ODA Marketing Executive, New Media, 15 October 2009
Progress on the London 2012 Olympic Stadium is flying along... or so this dedicated fly thought as he took the best seat in the house on one of the London 2012 webcams today.
With the webcams recording images throughout the day, you can keep up-to-date on all the latest progress on the Olympic Park.
Here on the Stadium, as we enter the next stage of construction, you can see triangular lighting gantries being constructed in the field of play - where all the sporting action takes place. They will later be...
Read more of “There's a real buzz about the Olympic Stadium”
2 Comments on this postBeing part of events like today's launch of ImagineAction in Donaghmore, Northern Ireland, remind me why I do my job.
Donaghmore's in Tyrone and this project is led by a very special community-led organisation called the BEAM Creative Network.
ImagineAction, which is the latest Cultural Olympiad Inspire mark project, is one of the best examples of bringing de Coubertin's vision to life - the wedding of sport and art.
Read more of “Launch of ImagineAction - building a bridge between arts and sports”
0 Comments on this post
