London 2012 Roadshow starts journey at Greenwich Sportathon

Visiting 27 stops over a ten-week tour, the Roadshow will visit all of the nations and regions of Britain in a specially branded London 2012 double-decker bus. The theme of this year's Roadshow is 'Join In', aiming to encourage everyone - particularly young people - to be inspired by sport with a long-term aim of increasing their participation in the run up to 2012, creating a lasting legacy for the UK. London 2012 Chair Sebastian Coe and Olympic gold medallist Daley Thompson joined the bus for its inaugural event to motivate visitors to set their own challenges for 2012.

The bus was on site for the final of the Sportathon, a four-day sporting festival involving approximately 1,800 children from 57 primary schools. Visitors were able to take part in 'taster' sporting activities from Sport England including rugby skills, weightlifting, Taekwondo and fencing. On board the Roadshow bus, visitors can access the new 2012 Challenge website to find out about their own abilities, set their own challenge and be inspired by the Olympic Games to achieve it.

The Roadshow also incorporates a "Dream Statistics" area from the National Lottery, where young people can enter in their key statistics to reveal which Olympic sport they are most suited to - and then encouraged to try out the matching sporting activity.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee commented: "Greenwich is a host borough of the 2012 Games and it is fitting that the Roadshow will start its journey here at the Royal Artillery Barracks, which is our venue for shooting.

"London 2012 will be a nationwide Games and the Roadshow is only the first part of our pledge to involve everyone the length and breadth of the UK towards, and including, 2012. We want to encourage young people to develop their sporting talents, to achieve something for themselves or to inspire others to unearth their own talents. Visiting the London 2012 Roadshow is a great first step to accomplishing this."

Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister, said: "I am determined to ensure that these will be a Games for the whole UK. That is why we are staging the second nationwide Roadshow to take 2012's message and inspiration to every corner of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"Last year the focus was on 'being part' of the 2012 experience. This year it is on the big Olympic and Paralympic ambition – motivating people to take part in sport.

"Winning the right to host the Games has given us an extraordinary opportunity to transform sport in the UK – providing the inspiration, facilities and environment to radically increase participation, for both the able-bodied and those with disabilities.

"The Greenwich Sportathon is therefore an excellent event to launch the Roadshow, encouraging as it does young people to try out football skills, athletics and team building exercises."

Jennie Price, Chief Executive of Sport England said: "Our ambition is to get two million people participating more in sport by 2012. The London 2012 Roadshows have the power to inspire us all to play sport, from parents with their kids to older people wanting to keep fit. So we want everyone to come along, join in and get the sporting habit. This would be a sporting legacy we can all be proud of."

A National Lottery spokesperson said: "There has never been a better time to be inspired to get involved in sport, and the National Lottery Dream Stats Zone will offer people the opportunity to find out just what sport they might be suited to, via an exciting interactive programme. They can even take a number of fun physical tests aimed at further assessing their aptitude for a particular sport. The National Lottery is playing a major role in funding the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, and the Roadshow represents a great opportunity to highlight this and thank Lottery players for their fantastic contribution."

Cllr Chris Roberts, Leader of Greenwich Council, said: "The children taking part in Sportathon this week have demonstrated exactly the sort of spirit and enthusiasm for sport that London 2012 seeks to inspire. We are very proud to be hosting the London 2012 Roadshow and see this as a fitting way to honour the achievements of our young people."

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For more information please contact: Sian Brenchley, Roadshow Press Officer on 0203 2012 251, Mob: 07824 491 554 sian.brenchley@london2012.com

Notes to Editors

• On most occasions, the Roadshow is being hosted by existing public events for which an admission charge may be made. A small number of events, for instance children's sports festivals, may not offer admission to the general public.
• The first 2012 Roadshow in July 2006 visited 65 locations, travelling 3,355 miles over a three week period. Further details can be found at http://www.london2012.org/en/gettinginvolved/2012+Roadshow/
• National Lottery funding will contribute up to £2.2 billion* towards the cost of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympics Games. £750 million of Good Causes money raised by sales of designated lottery games, such as the draw-based game Dream Number and certain Scratchcards and interactive games, will go towards funding the provision of facilities and supporting infrastructure of the 2012 Games. For more information contact Liz Parker on 020 7632 5746 / 07866 450 287 liz.parker@camelotgroup.co.uk *Subject to Parliamentary approval
• Sport England exists to sustain and increase participation in community sport. It is a non-departmental public body and Lottery distributor. Our ambition is to get two million people participating more in sport by 2012. We do this by promoting, advising and investing in community sport. For more information contact Alex Russell on 020 7273 1866

Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our Work in Progress blog http://blog.london2012.com