East of England Development Agency

All received applications will be considered for inclusion in the Pre Games Training Camp Guide for the London 2012 Games. This will published in Beijing in 2008, showcasing the best sporting facilities in the UK to all Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Katie Huane, East of England Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic Games, said: 'This is a unique opportunity to showcase on a world stage the excellent facilities we have here in the East of England, and to leave a long lasting legacy for our communities. We have some excellent sporting facilities, and this is the final chance for them to be included in the London 2012 directory, so I urge any interested venues to get online and submit their applications.'

Pre-games training camps will give the whole of the region the opportunity to be involved in and understand the benefits of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They will also provide great opportunities for the East of England to host international teams of athletes, bringing with them cultural, economic and sporting benefits.

The region's sporting facilities can assess their suitability for hosting pre-games training camps by visiting the London 2012 website at: www.london2012.com/trainingcamps, which provides information about the sporting requirements and the critical additional support services that visiting teams will need.

Sports facilities that believe they meet the standards for hosting a Camp must apply for inclusion within London 2012's guide using the on-line submission form available.

Timeline Reminder

31st Jan 2007: Deadline for submissions from facilities

1st May 2007: Nations & Regions Group submissions provided to London 2012 Organising Committee

10th Jan 2008: Final selection made by the London 2012 organising committee for inclusion in Pre-Games Training Guide

31st July 2008: Guide distributed to National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees

London 2012's Nations & Regions Group is the body that will ensure that the whole UK has an opportunity to, and derive maximum benefit from, London 2012.

Chaired by London 2012 Board member Charles Allen, the NRG is made up of 12 senior representatives from UK business and sport - nine from the English regions and one each from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It is the key organisation for engaging with the UK, outside London

Priorities facilities and venues are likely to need are:

an exclusive training environment

world-class training facilities

similar climatic conditions/time zone as Games' venues to promote acclimatisation

comfortable but affordable accommodation

food appropriate for training athletes, available at times to suit training schedules

access to a hospital with an Accident and Emergency Department and advanced scanner technology

local suppliers of cars, mini-vans and coaches for transport between accommodation and training venue

security for athletes and support staff

proximity to airports or easy access to transport networks

to work with partner organisations to give the fullest and best offer they can.

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com.

Find out what is going on at London 2012 HQ on 'Work in Progress' http://blog.london2012.com, the London 2012 blog.

About EEDA

The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is the driving force behind sustainable economic regeneration in the East of England: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The vision is for the East of England is to create a leading economy, founded on a world class knowledge base, creativity and enterprise to improve the quality of life for all who live and work here.

EEDA aims to do this by:
1. Setting and shaping the direction of economic development in the region
2. Persuading and influencing others to bring resources together, so that innovative ways of solving challenging economic issues are found
3. Investing in imaginative projects that challenge the norm and will have a significant impact on economic development in the region.

These aims are delivered through the four key areas of Business Support, Enterprise Hubs, Investing in Communities, and Regional Renaissance.

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For further press information
James Reddy,
senior press officer at EEDA,
tel: 01223 484624,
email: jamesreddy@eeda.org.uk