Podcasts

December 2023: Lyn Garner and Peter Hendy in conversation

It’s been another incredibly busy year on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. From thousands of students now studying at UCL East and the London College of Fashion campuses, the return of world class athletics at London Stadium, to the launch of the New Talent Future Leaders Programme, it’s been another busy and successful year on the Park.

And in 2024 there’ll be much more to come, as well as the evolution of the LLDC.

November 2023: East Bank opens

East Bank - a world-class cultural, educational and innovation district - continues to open on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

On 1 November, Sadiq Khan, The Mayor of London, formally welcomed the first students and visitors to UAL’s London College of Fashion on Stratford Waterfront, and UCL East on the south side of the Park.

And this is just the start, with Sadler’s Wells, BBC Music Studios, V&A East Museum and V&A East Storehouse set to open in the coming months and years.

October 2023: The esports revolution

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is fast becoming the leading destination for esports in the UK.

It's not just the Copper Box Arena at the centre of this rapidly growing industry, but Here East, the Park's innovation and technology campus, which is home to a thriving gaming community. And there's esports courses at both the Staffordshire University London and Teesside University, based at Here East and College of Esports at Lee Valley VeloPark. 

In this episode, you'll hear how the London Legacy Development Corporation is creating an e-cluster that benefits the London and UK economy, and how the Park is gaining a reputation as a world leader in this high-tech, fast moving industry.

September 2023: Improving air quality

In this episode of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Podcast, we find out how research has shown a drop in nitrogen dioxide and other dangerous particulates after a School Street was introduced at Mossbourne Riverside Academy on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The study was commissioned by LLDC and the SHIFT innovation agency. SHIFT is the innovation district based on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which brings together business, academia, government and local communities to find and scale solutions to the major challenges of city life, with a focus on climate emergency response, health and wellbeing, and mobility.

May 2023: New cycling connections

If you thought Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was just for cyclists like Dame Laura Kenny, Sir Chris Hoy and Dame Sarah Storey, you need to listen to this episode!

The Park already boasts some excellent infrastructure for walking and cycling but as the Park has evolved, the expectations of residents, visitors, commuters and businesses have changed too.

In this episode, we’ll hear more about some of the 27 infrastructure schemes getting £150 million pounds of investment from the London Legacy Development Corporation, and making the Park a hotspot for cyclists and walkers alike!

March 2023: A springtime stroll in Stratford

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is becoming a world-class destination for people to live, work, play. But it's not just people, and what better time than springtime to come and see, and hear, the hundreds of birds, insects and mammals that have also made Stratford their home.

In this episode of the podcast, we take a tour around the Park to the quiet spots to escape the crowds, watch the wildlife, and not to mention see the beautiful gardens bursting with colourful spring flowers! We also visit the Park’s new beautiful blossom garden, chosen by the Mayor of London as the capital’s memorial to the Coronavirus pandemic and hear how Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is accessible for all!

February 2023: Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson in conversation

In this latest podcast, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson discusses her involvement with the 2012 Games, from the planning through to the delivery, and reflects on what an inspiring place Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is today. 

One of Britain's greatest Paralympic athletes, and now member of the House of Lords, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson also amassed a remarkable medal haul over 16 years at five Paralympic Games of 11 gold medals, four silver and a bronze.

This is her story, in her own words, of a special time, a special place and a very special Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

January 2023: Building neighbourhoods

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has already delivered so much. Sporting legacy, world class venues, amazing leisure opportunities, jobs, investment and thousands of new homes.

The first neighbourhood was Chobham Manor and a recent Post Occupancy Evaluation (P.O.E) report showed high overall satisfaction from the people who live there. Now, as the Park enters it's second decade, new plans are in place for the fifth and final neighbourhood, at Pudding Mill Lane.

So what can be learnt from the experiences of residents and how can that help the communities of the future?

December 2022: 2022 and beyond

It's been quite a year at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park! Not only have we celebrated the 10 year anniversary of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, but 2022 has been a year that saw the return of mass spectator events, community gatherings and more world class performers, musicians and athletes putting on outstanding shows in our world-class venues.

But as the Park enters its second decade, the development doesn't stop here.

In this episode of My London Legacy, we look ahead to what's in store in 2023, the opening of East Bank, the building of more houses for local people and the opportunities still available for young people in the Park, looking for new skills, jobs and prospects.

November 2022: Welcome to East Bank

The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics showcased the best of sporting achievement from around the world, but the Games, with their opening and closing ceremonies and the Cultural Olympiad were always much more than that. And ten years on and the best of the art, music, dance and fashion are about to return in style to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

East Bank is one of the world’s largest and most ambitious culture and education districts. The ambition of the project is recognised in the name – East Bank – which will complement London's other major arts centres, such as the South Bank. 

In this latest episode of My London Legacy, we focus on four of the world's leading brands that are moving to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and creating a cluster of commerce, technology, manufacture, retail, education and the creative arts - UAL’s London College of Fashion, the BBC, Sadler’s Wells and the V&A. 

October 2022: Accessibility all areas

Twelve time world champion and seven time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft presents a very special podcast episode.

So in this episode, as well as hearing from Hannah about how London 2012 changed her life, and the Paralympic movement, forever, we'll hear from users of the Park and how it was designed to be as accessible and inclusive as possible for a wide range of visitors, employees and future residents.

And sporting legacy continues too, with the creation of the first ever version of visually impaired netball, from the Copper Box Arena's resident teams London Pulse and Metro Blind Sport.

September 2022: Venues and sports for all

In this episode we hear from some of the new sports who are now making the most of the world-class facilities on the Park and making the venues their home.

August 2022: Ten year anniversary

This summer we're marking 10 amazing years since Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park took centre stage in the lives of many Londoners and sports fans from around the world!

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games are seen by many as the greatest ever.

In this episode of My London legacy, as the Park hosts the Celebrating 10 Years’ Festival Site in the north of the Park, we hear from the sporting heroes of 2012, the performers and participants in that unforgettable opening ceremony, but also reflect on what's happened since and what's still to come!

July 2022: In conversation with Seb Coe

Lord Sebastian Coe headed the successful bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, before becoming chair of the London Organising Committee for the Games.

In Singapore in 2005, he gave a stirring speech to the International Olympic Committee promising not only an Olympic Park, containing nine state-of-the-art venues and just seven minutes from central London, but also a lasting legacy.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) built the Park in Stratford, Lord Coe and his team put on the world's greatest show during the summer of 2012, and the London Legacy Development Corporation has regenerated, redeveloped and created an innovative metropolitan area of London, with a global focus.

Ten years on from 2012, this episode of the podcast is Seb Coe's London Legacy.

June 2022: A "shift" to innovation

Ten years on from the Games, a group of seven organisations based at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park have come together to form a new, inclusive innovation district – a living testbed that will power better urban futures through innovation, creativity and collaboration.

In this episode, we'll hear from the partners, people and businesses already benefitting and how local east London communities can play their part.

May 2022: A wide open space

Ten years on from London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park's 560 acres are home to 10 new habitat types including wildflower meadows, woodlands and wetlands as well as the West Ham pitch at the London Stadium!

In this episode of My London Legacy, we hear how the Park was created to become a world class sporting location and a haven for rare species. And as we celebrate the flora and fauna, the London Stadium, at the heart of the largest urban park to be created for 150 years, provides the perfect backdrop for a special recording of the iconic BBC programme 'Gardeners' Question Time' - marking the Radio 4 institution's 75th birthday and the 10th anniversary of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

April 2022: Creating opportunities with new jobs and skills

We want Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to be the best place to start and grow a business. In this episode we focus on what's been done, what's happening now with Build East and the Good Growth Hub and hear from three young people from East London who've all benefited from the legacy of London 2012 in the jobs market.

March 2022: An invitation to another party in the Park

In this episode, we'll hear all about the huge plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of London 2012, with special events, concerts and world class sport, through the spring, summer and autumn of 2022.

We're joined by the London Legacy Development Corporation CEO Lyn Garner, Peter Tudor, the Park's Director of Operations and Venues, Park Champions and users of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as it prepares to welcome you for another party and celebration!

February 2022: Homes and living

As the sporting venues continue to flourish, and the arts, culture and education sector at East Bank continues development, by 2031, up to 96,000 people should be living in homes on the Park and surrounding areas. In this episode we focus on homes and living, what's been achieved so far and how much more is to come!

January 2022: Ten years on

In this episode we'll hear from the CEO of the London Legacy Development Corporation, Lyn Garner, on what's to come in 2022, as there's so much to celebrate about people, transforming lives, building communities and creating opportunities.

Sport was just the start ten years ago, so we're joined by Alistair Spalding and Jonzi D from Sadler's Wells on the world famous performing arts organisations moving into Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. And Paralympic gold medalist, and LLDC's newest board member, Helene Raynsford on why legacy is crucial from Olympic and Paralympic Games.