Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - One year on - Glasgow 2014 & London 2012 MoU

One year on - Glasgow 2014 & London 2012 MoU

Unprecedented agreement between Glasgow 2014 and London 2012 delivers on promises one year on from signing.

Following the signing of an unprecedented agreement between the Organising Committees for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the promises made by both sides to work together to maximise the benefits of hosting two major multi sport events in Great Britain within two years is delivering on what it set out to achieve.

The agreement, signed a year ago today on May 24th 2010 at Scotstoun Sports Campus, which will host both Squash and Table Tennis in 2014, set out specific areas the two Organising Committees would focus on.

Both London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 committed in the agreement to work on areas of mutual benefit.  Areas that have delivered on the promises made include the following:

- Volunteers:  Volunteers:  London 2012 have shared information and knowledge on many aspects of their Volunteer Strategy and Programme.  Glasgow 2014 have been given access to London 2012’s Volunteering Team and taken part in training and had an active role in the recruitment for volunteers in Scotland.  Scots who will become Games Makers for London 2012 next summer will be able to use the experience they have gained when applying to become a Volunteer for Glasgow 2014.

- First hand experience:  Glasgow 2014 is actively pursuing a number of opportunities around the secondment of staff to London 2012 to gain Games-time experience next summer which they will be able to bring back to Scotland in 2014. London 2012 will benefit from having additional staff to work in London for the duration of the Games. Glasgow 2014 will also plan to take part in the London 2012 Paralympics Observation Programme.

- Fit-for-Games Equipment:  When London 2012 is over,, LOCOG will be in possession of a wide variety of hardware, software and equipment that will need to be disposed of in the most cost effective way possible.  Glasgow 2014 are in very positive discussions with LOCOG about the purchase of fit-for-Games equipment. 

- Ticketing:  London 2012 have shared aspects of their ticketing programme, strategy and expertise with the Glasgow 2014 Commercial Team.  Glasgow 2014 will endeavour to learn from the successes of the London 2012 Ticketing Strategy ahead of Glasgow 2014 putting tickets on sale for the Commonwealth Games.

- Accessbility and Inclusion: Meetings have been held between London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 regarding lessons learnt by London 2012 on positioning parasport prominently within the Games environment.

John Scott, Chief Executive of the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, said:

“This unprecendented agreement we made with London 2012 a year ago today is delivering real and tangible benefits for Glasgow 2014 which will be felt in Scotland beyond the end of the Paralympics next summer.

“Sharing assets for Games-time use means that we can recycle equipment that has been created specifically to deliver a multi-sport Games. Sharing information, staff is also invaluable to Glasgow 2014 to deliver an outstanding Games, whilst providing support for London 2012 and allowing both our organisations to make the most of having two multi sport Games within two years of each other in Great Britain.”

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of LOCOG, said:

“In the last year, we have shared learnings to help the Glasgow 2014 team shape their plans and programmes of activity. With a couple of thousand potential volunteers just recently interviewed in Glasgow for the London 2012 Games Maker programme, I am confident the volunteer legacy for Scotland and Glasgow 2014 is going to be particularly strong.

“I look forward to more knowledge being transferred over the next year as London 2012 enters a hugely exciting operational phase to deliver an extensive test events programme prior the start of the Olympic Games.”

Notes to Editors

1. For media enquiries relating directly to London 2012, please contact Annabel Gunnell on 0203 2012 100 or Annabel.Gunnell@london2012.com

2. For media enquiries relating directly to Glasgow 2014 please contact Holly Wheeler on 0141 287 3457 or Holly.Wheeler@glasgow2014.com

3. This is the second time an Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games has been hosted within two years of each other in the same country, the first being Canada, when they hosted both the 1976 Summer Olympics and the 1978 Commonwealth Games.