Page 70 - Mind, Body and Spirit Online Edition

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G7 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

SUPPORT TO OP OLYMPICS 2012

Headquarters Maj (Retd) AJ Chapple BEM

London

District

I
always look forward to the Summer – were distributed across London. Small
in London District, especially after the itness packs were put into TA Centres,
‘Trooping of the Colour’ (aka Queen’s
and substantial itness and recreational
Birthday Parade). There is sense of calm facilities, supplemented with equipment

for a few weeks when ceremonial is not loaned from London District units, were
the focus of everyone’s attention and units set up in the key locations of Feltham,
take some of their much needed annual Wapping and Hainault, the latter providing
leave. It is the best (and probably only) an excellent venue and population (16
opportunity to pause for breath, regroup, Air Assault and 3 Cdo Bdes) to conduct

and start eroding away at the tiresome
jobs that have been on the ‘things to do
list’ just that little too long. Clearly 2012
was very different, there was no calm, only

increased tempo to cater to the demands
of the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics
and Paralympics. London District was its
busiest .. ever!

Although I cannot claim any G7 PD
contribution to the Queen’s Jubilee
parades (I don’t know my left foot from my

right), we did signiicantly contribute to the
welfare of the 18,000 troops that migrated
into London and took up residency in
over 40 locations for the duration of
the Games. Provision of itness and

recreational equipment had been muted
well before the start of the Games but
dismissed on the premise that, if afforded
the time, troops would be able to keep

themselves it by running and conducting
the usual simple exercises. However, as
locations stepped up and Commanding
Oficers were appointed it became a

common theme that itness and sports
equipment was needed for troop welfare,
more so than maintenance of itness.

After an endless number of on-site visits,
funding was secured and suppliers
engaged with. In quick time, in excess of
900 plus pieces of equipment – from high
end itness equipment to ping pong balls
Rear view