With less than 50 days to go until the election of a host city for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, Hammersmith & Fulham's mayor has outlined the ways the council is backing the bid and highlighted the benefits to the borough.

The council has joined other West London organisations in The West London Alliance to collectively support the bid. The council is also launching its own initiatives such as the mini-Games, on 1 June, and London Youth Summit at Chelsea FC, which will debate the merits of the bid, on 3 June.

The Sydney Games saw an extra 1.6million visitors to the city during the Games and evidence shows that London, including the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, is set to benefit from the extra tourism and job opportunities created by a London Games although few if any of the events will take place in the borough.

The borough's mayor, Cllr Charlie Treloggan, said: "We back the bid 100% and at the same time want to encourage more residents to lead healthier lives by getting involved in sport."

Since 2002, more than £20million has been invested by the council and its partners on sports facilities including £8million on Fulham Pools, £1.4million on Hurlingham Park, £500,000 on Linford Christie Stadium, due to be completed in July and £4million on a swimming pool for White City which is due to open in December 2005.

The mayor added, "The London 2012 bid is a once in a lifetime opportunity to generate further interest in and excitement about sport in the borough and we will continue to play our part in supporting the bid. We have Olympians and World class athletes that we are very proud of and for whom Hammersmith & Fulham is home. We are working with a number of partners to train the next generation and are supporting excellence through the Linford Christie Trust".

Three new sports co-ordinators have been recruited to work with schools on developing less established sports such as hockey, table tennis and tag rugby and more than 300 council vehicles will display 'back the bid' logos in the run up to the announcement from Singapore on 6 July.

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London 2012 bid, said: "I am grateful for the support and endorsement of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. This pledge of support reinforces the message to the International Olympic Committee that the whole of London and the UK are behind the Bid."

May 23, 2005