Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, President of the British Olympic Association (BOA) last night joined the family and friends of potential Team GB athletes at a roadshow event in Twickenham as part of the BOA and BPA’s ‘nearest & dearest’ programme. The programme offers guidance and advice to the family and friends of Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes in the lead up to and during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
As an Olympian herself HRH The Princess Royal attended the 13th of 17 roadshows which are designed to bring together family and friends of athletes to help them support their athlete effectively and enable the athletes to focus fully on their preparation and performance at the Games.
In addition to supporting the ‘nearest and dearest’ roadshows, P&G UK is covering the cost of the first two tickets made available to each athlete selected to Team GB and ParalympicsGB as provided by the LOCOG Athlete Family and Friends ticketing scheme and distributed by the BOA and BPA.
The programme also incorporates the nearest & dearest lounge; a dedicated area in the Team GB House and ParalympicsGB House in which friends and family can meet with their athlete during Games time, as well as a website to help family and friends across all sports connect and share experiences.
Dave Reddin, Team GB Head of Performance Services said: “Our priority is to make certain every member of Team GB has the resources and support they need to reach their full potential on the field of play at London 2012. We have looked at all aspects that can impact performance, including the role played by the ‘nearest & dearest’ of athletes. Our research and discussions with athletes shows that strong, focused support, not just at the events but all the way through the build-up to the Games, will help our athletes to perform at the best of their ability. We were honoured for HRH The Princess Royal to join us at the roadshow in Twickenham to share her first hand experiences of the Olympic Games.”