London 2012 and Mayor of London rally schools to claim their Ticketshare tickets

London 2012 Chair Seb Coe and Mayor of London Boris Johnson have today sent out a rallying cry to schools in London and across the UK to ensure they do not miss out on their chance to receive tickets to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Schools must submit an application to be part of the London 2012 Get Set education network by 16 December 2011 in order to be eligible to receive their allocation of tickets. Further information on how to be part of the Get Set network and claim tickets is available at www.london2012.com/getset

LOCOG and the Mayor of London have made 125,000 tickets available to London schoolchildren through the scheme, meaning one in eight schoolchildren in London will receive a ticket to either the London 2012 Olympic Games or Paralympic Games. A further 50,000 tickets will be distributed to schools across the UK and 25,000 tickets will be distributed by the British Olympic Association, British Paralympic Association, Sport England and Tickets for Troops. Ticketshare tickets are donated through a levy placed on London 2012 hospitality packages sold by Prestige Hospitality.

Get Set is the official London 2012 education programme for schools and colleges across the UK. It aims to enhance teaching and learning by helping teachers to link learning to the London 2012 Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Values. Through the Get Set website, teachers and students can access free resources such as films and images, enter competitions connected to the Games and download fact and activity sheets. Schools and colleges which demonstrate how they are using Olympic and Paralympic Values to enhance their curriculum can apply to join the Get Set network. Members of the network will receive Ticketshare tickets, as well as a plaque and certificate and the right to use the London 2012 education logo on their website, school sign and letterhead. They also gain access to ‘money can’t buy’ prizes such as visits from athletes or tours of the Olympic Park.

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe commented, ‘Schools and colleges across London and the UK have a golden opportunity to give some of their pupils the chance of a lifetime – tickets to see the greatest show on earth. More than 18,000 schools have taken the first step towards claiming their tickets by registering with Get Set. Now is the time for them to go one step further and apply to join the Get Set network and claim their Ticketshare tickets. I am hugely grateful both to Prestige Ticketing and to the Mayor of London who is fully supportive of the scheme to ensure tickets for London schoolchildren.’

Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson, said, ‘This is an amazing chance for schools and colleges to bring the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to the classroom and really help make London 2012 something special for their pupils to be a part of. With so many unique, money-can’t-buy experiences to be gained from joining Get Set and signing up to Ticketshare, any school or college that doesn’t get involved is missing out on an incredible opportunity.’

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said, ‘I can think of none more deserving to have a ringside seat at the world’s greatest sporting event than the next generation of Londoners. So there’s not a moment to waste to ensure your school gets its tickets and embraces the spirit and excitement of the London Games during the build up to 2012.’

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe and Mayor of London Boris Johnson today met pupils from The Compton School, Barnet, which is part of the London 2012 Get Set network. Pictures from today’s visit can be downloaded from this link from 1300hrs.

Schools need to apply to join the London 2012 Get Set network by 16 December 2011 to be eligible. Over 3,000 schools are part of the London 2012 Get Set network currently and have already guaranteed an allocation of tickets.

For more information, contact: www.london2012.com.

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