Seb Coe Visits Weymouth
6 June 2011, 13:12 | Updated: 6 June 2011, 13:17
Head of the London Olympics committee, Seb Coe, is visiting Weymouth - to see how the town's preparing to host the sailing events.
His visit, on Monday, 6 June, will also focus on the impact that London 2012 is having on young people.
Seb will hand over the official London host council flags to Dorset County Council, West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.
He will also assess the operational readiness of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy - the hub of activities for the sailing events - and meet pupils from Symondsbury Primary School who have been inspired to take up sailing by the London 2012 Games.
The double Olympic champion will present a Get Set Network plaque to the Royal Manor Arts College, Portland. The Get Set network, an integral part of the London 2012 education programme, is a reward and recognition scheme for schools and colleges that are committed to living the Olympic and Paralympic Values.
He will be entertained by a dance troupe from the school and meet students involved in a sailing ambassador project and a twinning ambassador project with schools in London.
The visit will finish on Weymouth seafront where Seb will learn more about the exciting plans for the run-up to the summer of 2012 and during Games time.
Seb said: "The visit to Weymouth and Portland embodies the spirit of what we set out to achieve when we bid to host the Games - a blend of sport, culture and education.
"While the sailing events will be a focus of international attention, I'm pleased that on this visit I shall also be involved with activities that are using the Games to reach young people and inspire change in their lives."
David Fursdon, chair of the South West England Board for the 2012 Games which leads the regional partnership Team South West, said:
"Seb's visit will allow him to see how committed we are to making the London 2012 Games a huge success and to see the impact the Games are having - especially among young people."
Cllr Howard Legg, Brief Holder for Special Projects, said:
"Preparations for 2012 are rapidly picking up pace in Weymouth & Portland, and I am delighted that Lord Coe is taking time out from London to travel the Borough to hand the official flags to Dorset councils and to see first hand how things are taking shape. I am extremely proud of how hard everyone is working to get Weymouth & Portland ready for the Games. Torch bearers, volunteering and the deck chair design project are some excellent examples of the Olympic spirit bringing communities together and getting involved".
Lord Coe's visit comes as the sixth ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta, Skandia Sail for Gold, is taking place between 5 and 11 June at Weymouth. Over 1,000 sailors from 62 nations, including a number of World and Olympic champions, will be competing in Weymouth.