The National Lottery visited Manchester today with its London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games hot air balloon on its tour around the UK.

The hot air balloon is touring the UK to thank Lottery players for their contribution to London 2012 and to highlight the role that people from across the UK will play in helping to host the world’s greatest sporting event.

The balloon visited Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester with Olympic cycling champion, Sir Chris Hoy, Olympic cycling silver medallist, Ross Edgar, Paralympic cycling champion, Jody Cundy, World gymnastics champion, Beth Tweddle, European gymnastics medallist, Dan Purvis and Paralympic athletics bronze medallist, Ian Jones. 

The North West will be actively involved in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with Old Trafford hosting Olympic football, Swimming Australia holding their training camp at Manchester Aquatics Centre, and teams from Thailand and the 15 Pacific Island countries of Oceania all committing to train in the region ahead of the Games.

In addition to sporting benefits, 204 North West businesses have won London 2012-related contracts, 1,454 schools are registered on Get Set, the London 2012 education programme, and the region is home to 92 Inspire mark projects, the highest outside London.

Chair of the North West Steering Group for the 2012 Games, Andy Worthington, said: “Lottery players are making a vital contribution to both our elite athletes and the development of the London 2012 venues and their legacy and this hot air balloon is just one way of celebrating their support. We’re delighted The National Lottery has brought the balloon to Manchester, which along with the rest of  the North West, will be playing its part in hosting the world’s largest sporting event and creating opportunities for athletes and members of the public to have their Olympic or Paralympic moment.”

Over £25 million a week is raised by Lottery players for projects across the UK that make a real difference to people’s lives. The National Lottery is contributing up to £2.2 billion to fund the infrastructure and the venues for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and their legacy, as well as enabling around 1,400 talented British athletes to benefit from world-class coaching and support. 

Olympic cycling champion, Sir Chris Hoy said, “National Lottery funding has been crucial to my development as an athlete. It means I can benefit from world-class coaching and support services, which helps me to win medals. It’s exciting to think that the Games are now under two years away and it’s great that Manchester and the North West has a big part to play.”