The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012, followed by the 2012 Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September.

London will become the first city to host the modern Olympic Games three times, having previously done so in 1908 and 1948.

Scale of the Olympic Games

• 26 Olympic sports in 31 venues.
• 20 Paralympic sports in 21 venues.
• 10,250 Olympic athletes and 4,000 Paralympic athletes.
• 20,000 press and media.
• Over 9 million tickets.

There are two bodies developing the Olympic Games in London; the Olympic Delivery Authority and London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games

Delivering the London Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a massive undertaking, requiring goods and services from an enormous range of firms.

Find out how London 2012 procurement works, what the latest opportunities are and how to get support for your business by visiting either the official Olympics website or the Eastern regions Compete For portal for contracts and tender information.

Employment Opportunities

Thousands of temporary Olympics jobs are now being advertised through a new jobs for the games website. Would be applicants are being advised to pre-register their interest in these opportunities to ensure that they are alerted as soon as relevant jobs become available. Opportunities are likely to range from sectors such as catering, cleaning, security and administrative support to media, hospitality, tourism, sport, leisure and customer services. Some professional and technical positions may also become available.

12 steps to preparing for the London 2012 Games

Kick start your London 2012 Games planning with a 12-step guide to getting your tourism business ready to benefit from the London 2012 Games.

Getting started can be the hardest part of starting any journey, so VisitBritain have developed a 12-step guide to help you on your way. It is likely to take careful planning and plenty of initiative to plan your part in the London 2012 Games. But by following these steps, you are giving yourself the best possible chance of making the biggest event on the planet a success for your businesses or local area.

Click here to download the 12 steps to preparing for the London 2012 Games

Essex Ambassadors Programme

1 September 2011 saw the launch of the Essex Ambassadors Volunteering programme for the 2012 Games.

Over 400 people who live or work in Essex will be recruited as volunteers to play a part in hosting the London 2012 Games, and will be the face of Essex to everyone visiting the county.

The Essex Ambassadors will provide information and guidance on the Games events, transport, and tourist information at the main transport hubs across Essex as well as supporting spectators at events leading up to the Games, and the Hadleigh Farm Olympic Mountain Bike competition itself.

Essex County Council is looking for volunteers from all walks of life. All they ask is that you're passionate about Essex, keen to be involved in the London 2012 Games and know you have what it takes to become an Essex Ambassador.

Click here to find out more.

Lloyds TSB Business Opportunities Guidance

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will give businesses of all sizes across Britain a significant growth opportunity. Lloyds TSB is the Official Banking and Insurance Partner to the London 2012 Games, and has developed a free Games Time Ready guide which provides valuable information and advice on the issues, challenges and opportunities UK businesses will face in the run-up to, and during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

• Key sections and useful checklists on Security, Transport, Technology, People and Lessons from Vancouver.
• Key insights from other London 2012 partners, including the ODA, Adecco and BT, on what businesses can expect and how to maximise opportunities and minimise disruption
• Useful information on events, activities and opportunities across the country, including the Olympic Torch Relay, Training Camps and Live Sites.

Lloyds TSB have also developed a step-by-step guide to seizing the business opportunities around the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Preparing your Business for the Games

Government Departments and Olympic delivery partners including LOCOG, ODA and the GLA have been working closely to produce guidance for businesses highlighting the key impacts that the Games could have on the running of business and offering some basic advice on how to manage those impacts.

The guide addresses impacts in areas such as staffing, internet and homeworking, telecoms, energy and water supplies and security as well as key messages on travel disruption.

Tendring District Council and Essex County Council are also looking for artists, musicians and creative minds to help celebrate the Olympics in this area. Find out more on the Arts and Entertainment pages.