London 2012 Announce Free Tickets for Armed Forces and Kids

London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has confirmed that troops serving in the UK’s Armed Forces are being given the chance to win tickets for next year’s Olympic Games in ‘Tickets For Troops’ initiative.

The share-out will allow 10,000 tickets to be given to members of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and their families and LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe said he was “absolutely delighted” troops could receive tickets.

Tickets For Troops is being funded by London 2012’s Ticketshare scheme, which sees proceeds from prestige hospitality seats used to provide tickets to worthy causes. All serving members of the Armed Forces and those medically discharged since the start of military action in Afghanistan in 2001 are eligible to register for tickets, which must be done online at the Tickets For Troops website.

Coe said: “Through the sale of our prestige tickets we are enabling the donation of tickets to a number of deserving causes – it would be unimaginable that we wouldn’t include our armed service personnel.”

Tickets For Troops chairman Lord Marland added: “This support makes a real difference to the troops who are doing such an extraordinary job during these difficult times.”

In addition, young people are also to be given the chance to win free Olympic tickets in return for taking part in sport by joining in the Sportivate mass participation scheme.

Sportivate aims to give 14 to 25-year-olds the chance of six to eight weeks of sports coaching and is designed to get 300,000 youngsters playing sport.

Sport England chief executive Jennie Price said: “Lots of young people think sport isn’t for them. I would like them to have the chance to discover whether there is a sport they really enjoy, so this programme is all about choice.

“Everyone who takes part will receive high-quality coaching – giving them the confidence and skills which will make them want to keep playing in the future.“