Press Release: Badges for those who bring magic of London 2012 to Coventry

A commemorative pin badge has been launched to mark Coventry’s status as a co-host city as the one year to go until London 2012 landmark is reached.
A limited number of the sky blue and silver badges have been commissioned by the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Games (LOCOG) and will be awarded to deserving individuals and groups who are playing a significant part in bringing the London 2012 experience to Coventry.
The badges have been produced by souvenir manufacturer Honav UK.
Leader of Coventry City Council, Councillor John Mutton, said: “I'm enormously proud of my city – we will be home to more Olympic activity than any other city outside London – and I am confident that there will be a real buzz of excitement here during the build up and the actual games.
“The Olympics are very special and it's an honour for our city to be at the heart of what is set to be the best games ever.
“These Coventry badges are unique and I am sure they will be highly sought after.  But they won't be easy to get hold of.
“We will only give them out to people and groups who have done something special to contribute to the development of Coventry or the 2012 games. 
“I will certainly be wearing mine with enormous pride.  But better than that I am looking forward to giving them out to people who have this fine city in their heart and I know there are lots of them.”
With one year to go until the official start of the Games, Coventry is already playing an important part in London 2012.
Coventry will be the first English city to host an Olympic event as part of London 2012 - two days ahead of the opening ceremony in the capital city - when it stages its first Olympic football tournament match at the City of Coventry Stadium on July 25, 2012.
Twelve men’s and women’s matches will take place over an eight day period at  the City of Coventry Stadium – which will be the temporary name of the Ricoh Arena for the duration of the Games, with a combination of preliminary games, a quarter-final and the women’s bronze final on August 9.
Aside from the Olympic football tournament the city will host an overnight celebration of the Olympic Torch Relay when the Olympic Flame visits the city on July 1, 2012.
The city has also secured a Live Site with a big screen which is installed at Millennium Place and will be the destination for news, events and live screenings of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.
It was also recently announced that more than 80 local businesses have been awarded London 2012-related contracts worth tens of millions of pounds to the local economy.
There are a large number of other cultural, artistic and sporting events inspired by London 2012 taking place across the region before, during and after the Games.
For more information about London 2012-related activity taking place in the region, visit www.coventry.gov.uk/london2012.
ENDS

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