Manager appointed to run Weymouth's Live Site for the London 2012 Games

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council has welcomed a new member to the team leading the local preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sailing events.

Roger Woods will be responsible for organising and running the Live Site at Weymouth Beach during the Games.

The borough council launched a national recruitment campaign in November 2011 to find a suitably experienced candidate to manage the Live Site which will provide local residents and visitors with a place where they can enjoy the Olympic atmosphere for free.

Roger, who comes from near Bath, is an experienced events manager who has been involved with a number of events companies, put on live music events worldwide and site managed the International Festival of the Sea, which at the time was the biggest maritime event in Britain. He has also worked for five years as the Production Manager of the area known as 'The Park' within Glastonbury Festival.

The free of charge Live Site will be located at the southern, Pavilion end of the beach and will run daily between July 27th and 12th August. Viewers will be able to watch live and recorded Olympic sports, including sailing, on the two 60 square metre screens. While the site will be able to entertain up to 15,000 people at any one time, access to it will be closely controlled and managed for safety reasons.

The borough council, in partnership with West Dorset District Council, Dorset County Council and other organisations, has been preparing to host the sailing events since the announcement of London's successful Olympic bid in 2005. The appointment of the Live Site Manager is another important step towards ensuring that local residents and visitors enjoy a positive and memorable Olympic experience.

Funding for the appointment has been secured via central government through the Government Olympic Executive.

Live Site Manager Roger Woods said:

"It is a privilege to be part of this once in a lifetime project and I am looking forward to working with the Weymouth and Portland 2012 Operations team and our partner organisations."

"The Live Site will be an important feature in sharing the Olympic experience with the wider community and I will be working towards ensuring it becomes a focal point during the Games where people can come and get involved and soak up the Olympic atmosphere for free."

Brief holder for Partnerships and Special Projects Councillor Howard Legg commented:

"It has been extremely important for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to ensure we have a strong team in place, with the right skills and experience, to coordinate preparations for this unique and exciting event. We are delighted to welcome Roger to the Weymouth and Portland 2012 Operations Team."

More information about how Weymouth & Portland is gearing up for the London 2012 Games and all the associated events can be found at www.dorsetforyou.com/london2012