Retail sales figures back up shopworkers’ experience of Olympic Sunday trading suspension

Posted by Now Cardiff on Sep 21, 2012

Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics, which show retail sales in August fell by 0.2%, back up the experience of shopworkers who say most of their stores were either quiet or empty during extended Olympic Sunday trading hours.

Earlier this week, the shopworkers’ union Usdaw revealed that 65% of over 700 reps surveyed said their stores were either quiet or empty during extra Sunday trading hours. Just 5% said they were busier than on a normal Sunday.

The survey also revealed that retailers struggled to find volunteers to cover the extra hours needed, with 56% of reps saying staff were put under pressure to work extra hours.

The experience of shopworkers has also been backed up by retailers such as Lakeland, who just yesterday slammed longer Sunday opening hours for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, saying they only “increased costs for no benefit”.

Typical comments from Usdaw reps on how busy their stores were included:

• “Waste of time being open extra hours as very quiet (almost empty) before 9.30am and after 2.30pm.”
• “The store was virtually empty. Customer service, clothing and electrical, pharmacy, opticians and direct desk were all closed. The move was a total failure.”
• “The additional hours of 4.00 to 8.00pm in our store were quiet most of the time, bordering on empty on occasions. “
• “Workplace was quiet after 4.00pm. Paid more on lighting and staff than went through till.”
• “Took same amount as usual – no extra benefit to takings at all – took normal amount just over longer period.”
• “I know personally we took no extra income from opening extra hours and people were forced to change their usual work patterns to accommodate.”

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary said:

“Our survey, together with today’s ONS figures and those from retailers such as Lakeland, show that the government’s decision to suspend Sunday trading laws for the Olympic and Paralympic Games was a mistake – both socially and economically.

“As we warned at the time, opening stores for longer doesn’t increase consumer spending but it does increase retailers’ costs, putting even further pressure on margins at precisely the wrong time.

“Meanwhile, stores were kept open by thousands of shopworkers who would have much preferred to have spent their valuable Sundays with family and friends and, like the rest of the country, cheering on their Olympic and Paralympic heroes.”

Cardiff’s Jordan is going for gold!

Posted by Now Cardiff on Aug 20, 2012

A young athlete from Cardiff who was one of the recipients of a bursary from Sport.Cardiff will be representing Team GB in Paralympic Games in two weeks times.

In 2011 to coincide with the official One Year to Go countdown to the Paralympic Games,  Jordan Howe, who attends Rumney High and will be competing in the T35 100m and T35 200m in London, was one of four young athletes to be awarded with a bursary from Sport.Cardiff to support them on their route to potential Olympic or Paralympic success.

Cabinet Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Huw Thomas said, ”I am delighted that Jordan, one of the recipients of the Sport.Cardiff bursaries, is going to be representing Team GB at the Paralympic Games.

“It is a massive achievement and I wish Jordan the very best of luck for what I am sure will be the experience of a lifetime and I am very glad we were able to help in some way.

“I am sure everyone in Cardiff will be watching with bated breath as Jordan takes part in his track events.”

Jordan, who has cerebral palsy, is a member of the Disability Sport Wales Academy and is currently ranked number one in Wales in his classification group will make his debut at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Jordan said: “I have just finished at Rumney High school so the money has helped enormously for my expenses. I’m very proud to be selected for the Paralympics and would like to thank everyone for their support and to Cardiff Council for the generous bursary received.”

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Cardiff welcomes hundreds of athletes ahead of Paralympic Games

Posted by Now Cardiff on Aug 13, 2012

Cardiff is extending a warm welcome to almost 400 Paralympic athletes as they base themselves in the city ahead of the start of the Games.

Sports men and women from several countries including Australia, Liberia, Korea, China and the Oceanic Islands have all made their journey to Cardiff as the city becomes their selected pre-games training camp as they make the final, important preparations before the competitions commence on August 29.

Cabinet Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Huw Thomas said: “Cardiff is honoured to have been selected by several Paralympic teams as a pre-Games training camp and we extend a warm welcome to the hundreds of athletes who will be residing in the city as they make their final preparations ahead of the Games.

“Sport.Cardiff is committed to making disability sport accessible to everyone and provides an excellent provision for grass roots sports. An example of this is the annual Wheelchair Sports Spectacular which attracts over 500 attendees and promotes disability sports amongst adults and children.

"Having so many outstanding athletes here is sure to inspire Paralympians of the future.”

2012 Australian Paralympic Team Chef de Mission, Jason Hellwig said from the Australian Paralympic Committee said: “The staging camp is a first for us in the lead up to a Paralympic Games and has been a unique feature in our planning for the London Games campaign.

“The run up to the start of the Games is an extremely important time for every athlete taking part and we are confident we can make the best of these final preparations here in Cardiff.”

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Local Leaders get set to celebrate the London 2012 Games in communities across the UK

Posted by Now Cardiff on May 2, 2012

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games have launched an initiative to help individuals within communities play an active role in bringing their friends, family and community members together to celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic Games coming to the UK this summer.

The London 2012 ‘Local Leaders’  will suggest to  people  ideas and tools to bring their friends, family and communities together to help make the most of the London 2012 Games by creating celebrations for their village, town or City around the Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays, the 12 week UK-wide London 2012 Festival, or the Olympic and Paralympic sports action.

People can sign up to be a Local Leader at www.london2012.com/localleaders and can play an active part now in preparing their community for international attention when the Torch arrives in the UK.

‘Garden for the Games’ provides Local Leaders with hints and tips from gardening experts, including Blue Peter Gardener Chris Collins and Olympic Park Gardener Des Smith, on how to plant seeds now that will turn window boxes down your street red, white and blue, or to ‘grow gold’ by planting marigolds to flourish the route of the Olympic Torch route.

Once the Olympic Torch flame arrives in the UK on 18 May, Local Leaders are provided with ideas and tools to help bring the community together to welcome the flame and celebrate their local heroes by lining the streets and showing what makes their community special for the 70 day UK wide relay.

On 27 July the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games will be watched by over a billion people around the world, and Local Leaders will be given invite cards, recipe tips, party sheets and more to help them turn their screening of the event into an Olympic themed venue, whether it is in a village hall, pub or living room.

The 4 August is Super Saturday – the day when the most medals are awarded during the Olympic Games. Local Leaders will access recipe ideas to help host barbeques and a day of activity in their homes, gardens and community centres.

For the Paralympic Torch Relay, Local Leaders can help celebrate the national flame lightings in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales by lighting up every corner of the UK with a lantern. Local Leaders will be able to access hints and tips on how to take part in a lantern procession and decorate lanterns with good luck messages for their local Paralympic athlete.

Finally, for the last day of the Paralympic Games on 9 September Local Leaders will be provided with ideas to bring together friends, family and neighbours for a Sunday get-together to see out an unforgettable summer in style.

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