ContinueA nationwide grassroots campaign to capture the once in a lifetime opportunity of hosting the Olympic Games in the UK will see 5,000 events happen across the UK as part of building the sporting and volunteering legacy from London 2012.
The campaign will mark the first national sporting weekend of its kind to be put on by a host country in the immediate afterglow of the Games.
Backed by Team GB medal winners past and present, HRH the Duke of Cambridge as well as Prime Minister David Cameron and London 2012 Chairman Lord Seb Coe 'Join In Local Sport' is an independent charity funded by government with the specific aim of getting as many people as possible to turn up, take part and join in at their local sports facilities on 18th / 19th August.
Sport clubs and communities across the UK have been preparing for the unprecedented enthusiasm for sport that they always knew hosting the Games in the UK would generate. The 'Join In' weekend is designed to help capture the spirit of the Games and bring it back to the place it begins for all great champions - their local sportsfacilities. Enabling clubs to convert this once in a lifetime wave of interest into help, support and membership from their local community.
Local sports groups will take advantage of this unique moment, creating a shop window within their communities for the opportunities there are for people inspired by the Games to help out, give time, support, watch or play sport. To find out what events are happening near you, simply go to the Join In website – www.joininuk.org – and enter you post code.
As part of the weekend sporting icons Daley Thompson, Sharron Davies and Jonathan Edwards join forces to complete a cross-country challenge, anchored by broadcaster John Inverdale, to visit a wide range of these sports clubs over one weekend.
The sporting greats will be joined by current Olympians over the weekend as they make surprise appearances, take part in activities, try out a new sports and offer a helping hand to the volunteers to make the ‘Join In’ message as impactful as possible.
Join In events will be taking place in villages, towns and cities up and down the country,with Sharron Davies , John Inverdale and Daley Thompson kicking off their ‘Battle Bus’ tour from Glasgow on Friday 17th August before visiting clubs in regions including:
Friday 17th August
Scotland
North East
Saturday 18th August
Yorkshire
East Midlands
East Anglia
West Midlands
Sunday 19th August
Wales
South West
South East
London
If that isn't enough to get you involved, then check out this message from Eddie Izzard:
