SOSA
Sibford old scholar Ian Weatherhead is pictured holding not one but two Olympic torches! The 2012 version on the right is
easily recognisable … and the one on the left is from the previous London games back in 1948. “It was a tremendous honour,” said Ian. “It’s not everyday you get an old Sibfordian holding two Olympic torches!” Ian’s memorable moment was
reward for more than four years of hard work assisting with some of the security aspects of London 2012.
As head of the Defence and Security Group at the London Chamber of Commerce, he and his team have been instrumental in putting forward companies for selection in a number of different areas ranging from bollards to night vision cameras and sniffer dogs to body scanners. “Over the four years running up to London 2012 we hosted a number of briefings with LOCOG and COMPETEFOR, assisting them to select and appoint appropriate companies. I must stress we weren’t involved in the selection but we did provide the platform so that the companies could put forward their proposals. “London Mayor Boris Johnson was especially keen that as many UK companies got contracts as was possible and we were able to offer support to all those who
Keeping in touch with former scholars Seeing double
were members of the Chamber, which, incidentally, doesn’t mean they are all based in London. Our members come from all over including the Midlands, Wales and Scotland.” Around 95% of all contracts
did go to UK firms and in recognition of the support given by the Chamber, Lord Coe and Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group and president of the Chamber, hosted a reception at Trinity House at which Ian was asked to hold both torches.
“I was only one when London last hosted the Olympics so it was a really strange feeling to
be holding the torch from those games while at the same time holding the torch from 2012,” he said.
It won’t come as any surprise to learn that Ian has been able to see action at both the Olympics and Paralympics … although he’s tight lipped about what events he’s witnessed. “I’ve been with security teams
from other countries so am unable to say exactly when and where I’ve been,” he says. “But I do think the whole event was brilliant. Everything went like clockwork and really did show how great Britain is at putting on a really good event.”
The Sibfordian / 43
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