Beacon Launch Event
Hackney Council and the other host boroughs have kicked off the Beacon year at a high profile event at Wembley Stadium.
Hackney Council’s lead member for 2012 took to the stage with speakers including Seb Coe to share experience of using its status as a host borough for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to get local communities involved.
Also speaking was wheelchair basketball player and TV presenter Ade Adepitan, who began his successful career with the Hackney Sparrows.
More than 200 delegates from Councils across the UK attended the event to hear from Hackney and four other local authorities who were awarded Beacon Status earlier this year by I&DeA (improvement and development agency).
Hackney Council was awarded Beacon Council status for its work using its host borough status to increase physical activity, boost jobs training and volunteering, encourage involvement in cultural programmes and develop community environmental projects.
Cllr Guy Nicholson, Hackney Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, said: “Beacon status is valuable recognition for the Council’s innovative work in bringing real benefits from the Games to all our local residents.
“The learning exchange event was a great place to start sharing our best practice experience with local councils throughout the country, and we’re looking forward to doing more of this over the coming year."
Hackney Council will host three open days for colleagues from Councils across the country during the autumn and winter each with a different focus:
- Culture
- Jobs, volunteering and training opportunities
- Physical activity centring on Paralympic sport
The ‘Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Beacon learning exchange’ on 15 July was the best attended learning exchange event hosted by I&DeA since they began in 2000.
The conference was the first opportunity to hear from the councils awarded beacon status in the Olympic and Paralympic legacy theme: Dorset County Council (with partners), Essex County Council, London Borough of Greenwich, London Borough of Hackney, Kent County Council.
High profile speakers outlined the progress made to date and highlighted what further work is planned and needs to be undertaken in order to create a lasting legacy.
Hackney Council also led a workshop 'From culture into communities', sharing its experience as the lead on culture for the five host boroughs for 2012 (Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest).
This demonstrated how the five host boroughs have worked together to establish the annual CREATE festival, celebrating arts and culture as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010