Summer update from CIPR President

It’s been a great first half of the year in my CIPR Presidency, packed with interesting events, issues and meeting people – from our Excellence Awards host Colin Jackson to Richard Gizbert, presenter of Listening Post on Al Jazeera English, who gave this year’s Maggie Nally lecture in the House of Lords.

We were privileged to have several Olympians at our Excellence Awards at the Hilton, Park Lane, in May – swimmers Sharron Davies, Mark Foster and Adrian Moorhouse, plus Olympic hopeful James Ellington. Together with our 800 guests at the sell-out event, they saw Lord Coe collect his CIPR President’s Medal for Outstanding Achievement. After collecting the medal, Lord Coe and his team were heading back to the office to work on the Torch Relay, which has also been a wonderful celebration of the Olympic spirit, involving the whole country and bringing our many communities together.

And as the world gathers in London, we begin to experience the truly inspiring and great nature of that achievement. Back in my home town of Manchester, we’re also commemorating ten years since the Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002. These games proved that the UK could stage a successful multi-sport international event and paved the way for London to bid successfully for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This piece from Peter Hetherington at the Guardian encapsulates the story.

The sporting infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games originated with Manchester’s failed Olympic hopes in 1996, when the UK’s first bespoke velodrome was built as part of the Olympic bid.  It played a key role in the M2002 Games and became the home of the Britishe Cycling team, under their coach Dave Brailsford. It nurtured the talents of Sir Chris Hoy, Bradley Wiggins, Victoria Pendleton and Mark Cavendish. Fast forward to now, with the first Briton ever to win the Tour de France, and see the impact of investing in top class facilities, coaching and talent. 

So with the eyes of the world on London, and many heading off to enjoy the sporting summer or holidays, may I wish you a restful break. 

We’ll be back in the autumn, reflecting on the success of the Olympics, looking forward to our 12 regional and national PRide Award dinners and seeing, in the words of the ‘other’ 2012 (we shall miss you, Siobhan of Perfect Curve PR), that you can have 'legacy' and 'sustainability'…and they’re not the same thing.

       Sally Sykes FCIPR