Olympic site under construction. Pic: Nigel Chadwick
The number of people from Tower Hamlets working for the Olympic organisers has reached more than 1,700 it was announced this week.
Tower Hamlets Council and LOCOG (London Organising Committee for Olympic Games) agreed, in February 2010, that the local borough would benefit from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games as much as possible.
The key areas of the agreement included employment, business, education and culture. So far 1,768 local residents have been employed and 65 Tower Hamlets businesses have won contracts to work with the Games.
This includes a local business which will make sourdough bread as part of the best of British food menu that is set to serve tens of millions of Games spectators and thousands of athletes.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman, said; “I have fought for the Games to bring real tangible benefits to the residents of this borough, and these roles are a shining example of the positive impact London 2012 can have on the lives of residents.”
“These jobs will not only give residents the opportunity to play their part in delivering the Games, but they will provide them with fantastic skills and work experience that will help them in their career.”
The jobs provided include hospitality, catering, retail, cleaning and security and will last until the end of the Games in September 2012. The employers aim to give the Tower Hamlets residents they have employed excellent experience and fill them with confidence they can take with them into future careers.
Lead Member for Jobs and skills, Councillor Shafiqul Haque, said: “Many of the residents that have successfully gained employment with the LOCOG contractors were previously unemployed.”
LOCOG agreed to give Tower Hamlets residents priority to 1,000 employment opportunities – following a host of successful recruitment fairs organised by Skillsmatch, LOCOG and Tower Hamlets job’s brokerage services – this was number was exceeded.
There are still some Olympic job opportunities available, for more information about these vacancies visit: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/skillsmatch or call Skillsmatch on 0207 364 0626.
Meanwhile this weekend hundreds of Tower Hamlets residents will get a taste for the Olympic sporting action at the Tower Hamlets Sporting Carnival hosted in Mile End Stadium.
The Sporting Carnival, at Mile End Stadium on Rhodeswell Road this Saturday is a free event that gives locals of all ages an opportunity to try out a variety of Olympics sports including archery, football, tennis and basketball.
For adventurous participants there will be a chance to try climbing, skateboarding and canoeing. But a carnival would not be complete without steel pan music, face painting and bouncy castles – so there will be something for everyone!
For more information visit: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/sports
By Louisa Plumstead
