This is being achieved by effective communications, encouraging collaborations and ensuring the sectors’ efforts are in the global spotlight. This website together with the e-newsletter and Spotlight magazine describe the many achievements to date as well as emerging plans not only for the next two years but also for the Olympic legacy.

As Vice-Chancellor of the University of Westminster, I am particularly pleased to succeed Professor Lee in leading Podium into 2012 and beyond. Our challenge is to use the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to engage and unite young people from all backgrounds and all cultures; to inspire change, and to leave a meaningful legacy for future generations in the form of both new facilities and new opportunities.

My institution - The Polytechnic, as the University of Westminster was then known - played a role in previous London Games. For the 1908 Olympics at the White City Stadium our Polytechnic Harriers organised the Trial Olympic Marathon and laid out the course from Windsor Great Park. Twenty-three Polytechnic members were selected for the British Olympic team. Charles Bartlett won a gold medal for cycling, and four others won silver or bronze medals in boxing, cycling and track events. The 1908 Games also launched The Polytechnic’s development as an international institution. Visiting athletes from abroad were given honorary membership of the Polytechnic to enable them to use the facilities at our headquarters at 309 Regent Street.

In the London Olympics of 1948, again The Poly opened its facilities to Olympic athletes from abroad. The Olympic Hockey Championships used our Polytechnic Ground at Chiswick; Horace Mansbergh, Honorary Secretary of our Boxing Club, was in charge of the Olympic Boxing Championships; and, as in 1908, members of The Poly won five medals.

In 2012, once again our facilities will be used and I am delighted as the new Chair of Podium to be able to continue The Poly’s tradition of supporting the Games. For me, the legacy of 2012 will be the awakening of a generation of young people who say “I can!”. Amongst them will be the next generation of leaders who will say “Together, we all can!”.