News

On 3 March 2010 Essex Strategic Board for the 2012 Games (ESB) hosted their Annual Conference - 'Showcasing Essex' at Weston Homes Community Stadium, Colchester on 3 March 2010. 

'Showcasing Essex' followed the ESB conference at South East Essex College, Southend-on-Sea 1 April 2009 and also the Cultural Olympiad Conference at the Wat Tyler Centre, Pitsea 2 December 2009.  The Cultural Olympiad Conference was the first of a series of themed conferences to be held in addition to annual ESB conferences between now and 2012. 

'Showcasing Essex' was attended by approximately 120 public, private and third sector individuals, organisations and stakeholders interested in capitalising on the Benefits that the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games can bring to Essex. Partners and stakeholders were updated on Essex activity over the past year and introduced forthcoming events and activities for 2010/11 around the six legacy objectives:

1. Increasing Physical Activity and Sports Participation levels
2. Delivering a successful Cultural Olympiad
3. Maximising the Economic Impact of the 2012 Games in Essex
4. Learning and Development
5. Supporting Volunteers
6. Pre-Games Training Camps: Levering Essex's existing infrastructure.

Speakers included: Gary Sullivan-Chair of the ESB, Katie Huane-Regional Project Manager 2012 Games and Jason Fergus-Essex County Council Head of 2012 Legacy and Strategic Sport who discussed the national perspective for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), celebrations of Regional and Essex success stories in 2009/10 and forthcoming events and activities coming up in Essex for 2010/11.  Delegates then attended four out of six update sessions on some of the key legacy activity that Essex will be involved with:

• Hadleigh Farm 2012 Games MTB Event / Lee Valley 2012 Games White Water Canoe Event
• Volunteering - Recruitment update and Legacy plans
• Torch Relay - Local impact and opportunities
• Games Time UK Operations
• Essex Carrying the Flame Framework
• Big 2012 Cultural Event (feasibility study results)

The half day event closed with a sneak preview of the Journey to the Podium Exhibition - a Cultural Olympiad project involving artists, museums and Team Essex Ambassadors (Essex athletes with NGB potential to compete at the London 2012 Games).  Journey to the Podium was later lauched that evening with a private view for the artists, athletes and 2012 legacy, heritage and culture stakeholders involved in the project. 

The next ESB stakeholder conferences planned for 2010 are tourism and volunteering.