News

---

New Consortium Announced as Preferred Candidate to Manage £40 Million UK Trust

Legacy Trust UK Consortium has been selected as the preferred candidate to establish a new charitable Trust to support a diverse range of cultural and sporting initiatives throughout the UK associated with the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The selection was made by the Millennium Commission, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Big Lottery Fund and Arts Council England.  

When it is established next year, Legacy Trust UK will receive a £40 million expendable endowment (£34 million from The National Lottery and £6 million from the Exchequer) to be spent over the years leading up to and including 2012 on a UK wide programme of projects which will:

• promote the Olympic and Paralympic ideals celebrating mind, body and spirit;
• foster innovation and creativity;
• strengthen the creative and technical skills base across the UK;
• encourage a joined-up approach across sport, physical activity, culture and education;
• offer young people and diverse communities the opportunity to fully participate in the build up and delivery of the wider vision for the Games in 2012, and 
• leave a lasting positive legacy of the 2012 Games for future generations.

This initiative reflects the fact the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are a celebration of both sporting and cultural excellence.  Until 1954 the Olympic Games included competitions for culture, including literature, music and art.   Nowadays, this aspiration is achieved by a programme of cultural events at and around the Games.  In 2012 the UK will welcome the world to London, providing opportunities to showcase the UK’s world class cultural assets, creative skills and cultural diversity. The Legacy Trust UK will help communities all across the UK have a chance to take part in cultural and sporting activities in the build up to 2012.

Legacy Trust UK Consortium has representatives from major charities, the business community and regional government bodies.  It comprises the City of London, Business in the Community, East London Business Alliance, TimeBank and Yorkshire Forward.

The Consortium was selected from eleven bidders who responded to a call to submit proposals setting out a vision for the Trust. The Consortium will work up a detailed application for grant for consideration by the funders later in the year. It is hoped that this will lead to Legacy Trust UK being established early in the new year.

The creation of Legacy Trust UK is supported by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games as complementary to the 2012 Games themselves.

One of the programmes it is intended that Legacy Trust UK will fund is the UK School Games. The first UK School Games was held in Glasgow this year and the 2007 event will be held in Coventry.  Cities are currently bidding to host the UK School Games from 2007-11.
 
On behalf of Legacy Trust UK Consortium, Michael Snyder, Chairman of the City of London Policy and Resources Committee, said: “The City is delighted to help ensure that the Olympic and Paralympic ideals find their widest cultural expression through this new Trust.   2012 is just one year but Legacy Trust UK will bring great benefits over a much longer timespan, and to the widest possible community right across the UK.”

Richard Caborn MP, Chair of the Millennium Commission and Minister for Sports, said: “The Millennium Commission’s last act as a National Lottery Distributor will be to help lay the foundations of a nationwide programme of cultural and sporting endeavour building up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  I can think of no better use for our remaining Lottery money. The creation of a new charitable Trust offers the greatest potential for the funding to be used in imaginative and innovative ways to make a real difference to communities throughout the UK.”

Olympics minister Tessa Jowell, said: "The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is the greatest show on earth, providing unparalleled opportunities across tourism, sport, culture and the economy. Whether you are six or sixty, the Games will have something for you. The Trust will play a vital role in ensuring that everyone, wherever they live, is able to get the most out of this once in a life time opportunity."

Sir Clive Booth, Chairman of the Big Lottery Fund, said: "Healthy communities both in the physical and cultural sense matter to the Big Lottery Fund and we are delighted to play a part in this important initiative.  2012 has the potential to engage and inspire communities across the UK." 

Sir Christopher Frayling, Chairman of Arts Council England, said: "The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a terrific opportunity for us to show the world the excitement and diversity of the arts in the UK, but we must start involving all communities now to make sure that the arts can take full advantage of the Games.  We wholeheartedly welcome this initiative and will work very closely with it over the coming years." 

Paul Deighton, Chief Executive of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, said: “We want to stage an inspirational Games, and want the whole country to participate. This initiative will fund imaginative projects throughout the UK and help create a lasting cultural and sporting legacy. ”

For press enquiries please contact:
Lisa Quinn, National Lottery Promotions Unit: 07968 939018

Until the Legacy Trust UK has come into existence all questions regarding its operation should be directed to their appointed representatives -  Sarah Adams (Operations) 07961 454 205 or Tim Walker (Media) 07786 546 258. 
Please do not contact the Bridge House Trust.

Notes for Editors

Funders

1. The Millennium Commission is a distributor of funds raised by the National Lottery and it has distributed over £2 billion to hundreds of projects and thousands of people around the UK.  The Commission’s contribution to the Trust will be £24 million.

2. DCMS is the department responsible for improving the quality of life for all through cultural and sporting activities.  This includes hosting an inspirational, safe and inclusive Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and leaving a sustainable legacy for London and the UK. DCMS will contribute £6 million to the Trust for the funding of an annual UK School Games.

3. Big Lottery Fund is the joint operating name of the New Opportunities Fund and the National Lottery Charities Board (which made grants under the name of the Community Fund). The Big Lottery Fund, launched on 1st June 2004, is distributing half of all National Lottery good cause funding across the UK. The Big Lottery Fund’s contribution to the Trust will be £5 million.

4. Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England. Between 2005 and 2008, it will invest £1.7 billion of public funds from government and National Lottery. Arts Council England will contribute £5 million to the Trust for the funding of arts projects in England.

5. Business in the Community is a unique independent business led charity made up of over 750 of the UK’s top companies whose purpose is to inspire, engage, and support and challenge companies, to continually improve the impact they have on society.

6. The City of London supports the international financial services centre whose heart is the Square Mile.  It also provides local government services there and contributes to wider London and the UK in many ways. Through its Bridge House Trust it makes grants in excess of £15 million a year to charitable projects benefiting the inhabitants of Greater London..

7. The East London Business Alliance (ELBA) has brought together 30 blue-chip City and Canary Wharf companies as founding members of "London Legacy 2020": a major new initiative to help East London benefit long-term from the Games by contributing private sector support, expertise and sponsorship to local community partners around themes of Jobs, Youth, Sport and Culture.

8. TimeBank is a national charity inspiring and connecting a new generation of people to volunteer in their communities, and enabling charitable organisations and businesses to develop innovative and effective volunteer recruitment programmes.

9. Yorkshire Forward is the Regional Development Agency charged with improving the Yorkshire and Humber economy.  In Legacy Trust UK, Yorkshire Forward will lead on the input of the Nations and Regions and ensure a UK wide perspective on all Trust activities.

10. Legacy Trust UK Consortium is not seeking grant applications at this stage. Details of the Trust’s programmes will appear on its web site www.legacytrustuk.org in due course.

11. LOCOG (The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) is the company set up by DCMS, the Mayor of London and the British Olympic Association to organise and stage the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  Until 31 December 2012, LOCOG controls the use in the UK of all Olympic, Paralympic and London 2012 marks and associations with the Olympic and Paralympic Games.