When you’re a self-confessed Olympic geek, it is sometimes hard to comprehend why anyone out there is sceptical about the benefits of London 2012 for the nation and for us as individuals but the question, “What’s in it for me?” is one that comes up quite frequently, even if not always put in those terms.

I don’t really deal with the business end of things in my job, but I know that there are local businesses who question whether it is worth a Leicestershire company’s time signing up for CompeteFor, London 2012′s register of business interest in contracts for Olympic Park and beyond. Evidence in terms of successful tenders is now coming through and several Leicestershire business people will be able to bask in reflected glory when the Games come around.

Head teachers too sometimes need some convincing. Under pressure to produce or sustain good results there are some who think that London 2012 is a distraction from a school’s core purpose and part of my job is to convince them that really engaging with 2012 will be of huge benefit to the school and its pupils. Within the city and county there is developing interest in the education package Get Set, which as well as providing some useful resources, images and films for lessons and assemblies also links to some really exciting competitions which can win schools trips to Olympic Park or a visit from an Olympic legend like Jonathan Edwards. Schools that really believe in the Olympic and Paralympic values and want to bring them into school can join the Get Set Network. Schools like Kegworth Primary, Rushey Mead, Longslade, Countesthorpe, The Robert Smyth and Loughborough College are all in this fairly exclusive club and reaping the rewards.

Others, including Ellesmere College in Leicester, are working on the International Inspiration project and developing friendships overseas. Ellesmere is linked to a school in Nigeria where there is no curriculum PE or sport and where classes of 60 are common. Ellesmere has already taken equipment and ideas on a government sponsored visit to Nigeria and Nigerian staff will soon be visiting Ellesmere to take the link further.

Last week’s fantastic announcement that Team GB will be using Loughborough University as its base ahead of 2012 is a massive boost to me. I was interviewed for Radio Leicester last Thursday morning by Ian Stringer who more or less said that in my 2012 Legacy job all I really have to do now is point at Loughborough and say “job done”. Well, it’s not quite as simple as that, but the fact that we will have many of GB’s top performers training at Loughborough in the immediate run up to the Games ought to be a source of great inspiration for us all and I will be looking to find every way in which to engage our children and young people in that.

The University hosted a Conference on pre-Games Training Camps last week and I was invited to showcase the Musubi project, inspired by Japan’s squad training at Loughborough. Musubi looks to provide some lasting memories for local youngsters by providing a Japan-themed day, a tour of the University’s facilities and a chance to meet and talk to the Japanese athletes we are hosting in the county.

Main speaker at the event was Chris Holmes, holder of nine Paralympic golds, including a record six at Barcelona. He provided humour and insight and it is no surprise that he has landed the top job of Director of Paralympic Integration. I enjoyed lunch with him and his guide dog, Unity, ran a few zany ideas past him and invited him back up to visit some local schools with me. He was great and I am really looking forward to him providing local youngsters, disabled and non-disabled, with some genuine inspiration.

I hope that those same youngsters would have been inspired last week if they picked up the story of several of the county’s oldest swimmers being given awards for their swimming longevity. I had the honour of interviewing John, George, Norman and Alan whose ages ranged from 91 to 80 and they were really good fun and living examples of the value of exercise as none looked their age and all had lively minds and a good sense of humour. Oldest swimmer Pat, 97, could not be there, having had a fall but I am sure it will not be long before she is back in the swim of things and putting us ‘youngsters’ to shame. It was also good to see GB swimmers Grant Turner and Kate Haywood alongside them and, frankly, somewhat in awe of their stories.

On the hockey front, eight Leicester girls were involved in matches against China last week for Great Britain. Beckie Herbert had to sit out the Tests with a hip injury but Crista Cullen, Chloe Rogers, Kerry Williams, Hannah Macleod, Katie Long, Gemma Darrington and Laura Unsworth were all in action. GB lost 2-1 and 3-1 to the Olympic silver medallists but dominated both matches with young and partly experimental sides. The oldest Leicester player is still only 25 so all are a long way from their peak yet.

Maybe one day the young woman who scored four goals for my fourth team against Charnwood Sileby last Saturday will be in the Olympic frame. Freya Tailor (13) is one of very few girls of Asian background playing hockey in Leicestershire, despite hockey ranking second only to cricket on the sub-continent. She tells me that few of her peers want to play hockey but if she carries on like this she might inspire a few more to join her. We won 8-1 and I am sure she would tell you that the antique playing alongside her did give her a couple of her goals on a plate!