Of all the high profile speakers to address the Legacy Lives conference one character was memorable for all the right reasons
Legacy Lives heard from the great and the good of the major events industry but one character left a lasting impression. Jean Jeffrey is a long-term resident of London 2012 host borough Newham and is in no doubt of the benefits to her community.
Her infectious enthusiasm for the games makes her the perfect guide to one of Europe's largest building sites. Having lived in Newham for 43 years she says the community have waited a long time for the sort of boost the development will bring. Neither is she short of views as to who should occupy the Olympic Stadium once the games are over.
"Call me a capitalist," she says; "but the prospect of 50,000 West Ham fans coming through the new shopping centre each week and spending their money there will be good for the local economy."
Knowing that her home town is the next host has also changed how she views Olympic sport. During the Beijing games she was such a loud supporter of team GB that she risked falling foul of Newham's behaviour rules. But when the games come to London she is convinced the whole community will get behind it.
The word legacy was repeated countless times at the conference but this is where it really happens. It is essential that local residents are allowed to take ownership of their games and feel part of it for Londoners to lay on the kind of party we saw in Vancouver.
