Olympic triple gold medallist visits South East

The Olympic Gold Medallist, London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) Board Member and Deputy Chair of London 2012 Nations and Regions Group, Jonathan Edwards, spent a day in Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

The triple jumper visited the region to look at how the legacy for the Olympic and Paralympic Games is starting to take shape, and to celebrate the ongoing success of initiatives, driven by the South East Partnership and linked to London 2012.

Jonathan visited Wessex Primary School in Maidenhead where he helped judge a torch bearers’ parade. Pupils have been researching and making prototypes of their own Olympic Torch with a design that celebrates the heritage of the UK and the school. Jonathan helped to select the top three designs.

The visit to Wessex Primary School was organised to reward the children for being part of the Get Set network, the official London 2012 education programme for schools, colleges and education providers across the UK.

Jonathan also visited Windsor Leisure Centre where he joined a training session for the Eton Dorney Ambassadors Programme. The group were unaware that they would be joined by an Olympic champion as it was planned as surprise reward for signing up as volunteer ambassadors.

The Eton Dorney Ambassador Programme, was launched earlier this year by the Eton Dorney Partnership, which is made up of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Buckinghamshire County Council, South Buckinghamshire District Council and Slough Borough Council. It will provide 500 volunteers aged 16 and over to support Olympic and Paralympic events at Dorney Lake.  They will be given training to NVQ level 2 in spectator safety and will act as meeters and greeters at 14 hubs including main spectator arrival points such as railway stations, park and ride sites and town centres.

Finally, Jonathan had the opportunity to visit Henley Rowing Club where he joined a group of young people from Wokingham’s Piggot School which is also part of the Get Set network. The school is working on a project with Henley Rowing Club to raise awareness of rowing and give the children a chance to experience the sport.

Jonathan joined in a training session with the young people on indoor rowing machines, where they were coached by members of the Henley Club and academy rowers from the Leander Club, which is home to the GB rowing team.

Jonathan added:  “It was a privilege to visit the South East to celebrate the success of its initiatives so far, and to see the work in action. We want as many young people as possible to be involved with London 2012 and getting into sport.  Having all these projects in place shows that the South East is really maximising the opportunities which are arising from the Games.”

The deadline to join the network is 16 December 2011. Schools and colleges in the Get Set network will receive an allocation of tickets to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. To make your school a member of the network and get involved with London 2012, go to http://getset.london2012.com/en/home.

To get involved in the Eton Dorney Ambassador Programme, go to www.windsor.gov.uk/2012/volunteering.  

The visit was organised by the South East Partnership for London 2012 in conjunction with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council, the Ascot and Maidenhead School Sports Partnership, the Eton Dorney Partnership and Wokingham Borough Council.