Local Member of Parliament, Mary Macleod, recently invited local schools to join her in a visit to the Olympic Park in East London. Mary was joined by Chiswick Councillors Todd, McGregor and Oulds, as well as the Schools Sports Partnership based at Isleworth and Syon School, Chiswick Community School and Brentford Football Club.

The visit was arranged since Mary was part of the Olympic Bill Committee in Parliament. The Bill made a small number of technical amendments to the advertising and trading, ticket touting and traffic management provisions of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006.  The Bill also introduced measures to extend the powers to seize unauthorised and fake merchandise and raise the fine for Olympic ticket touts from £5,000 to £20,000.  During the debate, Mary raised the issues of the lessons London can learn from other hosting countries, how the traffic conventions during the Games will be enforced, as well as their impact on non-Games related traffic.

Mary said: “Having seen how much has already been achieved at the Olympic site with just a year to go until the Games, I believe that the London Olympics and Paralympics provide us with an outstanding opportunity to showcase the best we have to offer to the world. Londoners, who have contributed to the success of the Games, should be encouraged to get involved as much as possible, either through attending or volunteering. Let’s make this the best Games ever, showing the best of what London and the UK can offer. Let’s also do all we can to create a really strong, lasting legacy and use this for getting more young people involved in sport, creating stronger communities, greater team spirit and a healthier nation.”