London 2012 mascots Wenlock and Mandeville joined Father Christmas at a special party at Downing Street to celebrate the School Games.<br/><br/>Pupils and staff from participating schools, the Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt and sports stars Audley Harrison, Mark Foster and Jason Gardener also attended the event.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.yourschoolgames.com/RegisterYourSchool.aspx" target="_blank">The School Games</a> is a unique opportunity to motivate and inspire millions of young people across the country to take part in more competitive sport.<br/><br/>The Prime Minister David Cameron said: 'The School Games are a great way to encourage young people to play more competitive sport, as well as getting involved in the excitement around the Olympic and Paralympic Games.'<br/> 

British electronic music pioneers Underworld have been <a href="http://www.london2012.com/news/2011/12/underworld-announced-as-music-directors-for-olympic-game.php">appointed Music Directors</a> for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. <br/><br/> The appointment completes the team of senior creatives that will lead the direction of the London 2012 Ceremonies.

Athletes are one step closer to the dream of winning a medal next summer with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic medals going into production at the Royal Mint headquarters. <br/><br/>A specially selected team of Royal Mint designers, technicians and craftsmen have been testing and refining the minting process to ensure every medal produced meets highly exacting specifications. <br/><br/>Approximately 4,700 medals will be produced, which will be awarded during the 805 Victory Ceremonies taking place at venues across the UK during the Games.

The Taekwondo International Invitational took place from 3-4 December 2011 at ExCeL.<br/><br/> The event was assigned G3 Status by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), and competing athletes were able to receive points towards their world ranking. <br/><br/> The competition was a part of the <a href="http://www.londonpreparesseries.com/">London Prepares series</a>, the London 2012 test event programme.

The London International Invitational Wrestling event took place from 10-11 December 2011 at ExCeL.<br/><br/>Russia claimed four golds at the event in the Freestyle women's 72kg, men's 60kg, men's 74kg and men's 96kg. In other Freestyle categories, Swedish sisters Johanna and Sofia Matteson took a gold each in the women's Freestyle 69kg and 55kg respectively. <br/><br/>The competition was a part of the <a href="http://www.londonpreparesseries.com/">London Prepares series</a>, the London 2012 test event programme.

Wenlock and Mandeville get in on the action as the latest London 2012 shop opens.<br/><br/>The <a href="http://www.london2012.com/news/2011/11/latest-london-2012-shop-opens-at-heathrow-airport-termin.php">ninth London 2012 shop</a> is situated in the heart of Heathrow's Terminal 3 and is the second to open in the airport, joining the existing shop in Terminal 5. <br/><br/>With approximately 20.4 million passengers travelling on flights each year through Terminal 3, the shop it is set to give visitors the opportunity to own a piece of the London 2012 Games as they pass through one of London's busiest terminals.

Seb Coe visits children at Oak Lodge School in Wandsworth to speak to help launch a special week of Olympic and Paralympic figures giving talks in state schools and colleges.<br/><br/>The schools and colleges taking part in the London 2012 Speakers for Schools Week are all part of the <a href="http://getset.london2012.com/en/home" target="_blank">Get Set network</a>, in recognition of their work to incorporate the Olympic and Paralympic Values into their curriculum.

On 27 July 2012 at 8:00 BST, Work No. 1197: All the bells in a country rung as quickly and as loudly as possible for three minutes by Turner Prize-winning artist and musician Martin Creed, will be performed throughout the UK to celebrate the first day of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of the London 2012 Festival, and to welcome the 205 nations to the UK.

Arlene Phillips and dancers from the Big Dance project celebrate the launch of the London 2012 festival where bells will be rung across the UK to celebrate the first day of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. <br/><br/> All the bells in a country will be rung as quickly and as loudly as possible for three minutes by Turner Prize-winning artist and musician Martin Creed, will be performed throughout the UK to celebrate the first day of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of the London 2012 Festival, and to welcome the 205 nations to the UK