May 2012
31 posts
57 days to go!
The Olympic Torch is continuing its journey in the North West of England and will end the day in Liverpool tomorrow.
With a history steeped in music from the Merseybeat days of the 1950s and 60s to New Wave of the 1980s and Indie Pop of the early 21st century, Liverpool has earned its title of Capital of Pop.
Liverpool’s most famous music venue, the Cavern Club, first opened its doors...
58 days to go!
Did you know there are 58 days of concerts and performances in the World’s Greatest Classical Music Festival, The Proms.
The Proms have been entertaining audiences for over 100 years. Find out more about the concerts taking place in 2012 on the BBC Proms’ website.
59 days to go!
British Film Director and cultural icon, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, was born in East London very near what is now the Olympic Park.
Hitchcock pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres and is believed to have directed 59 feature films during his career.
Some of his early films have been remastered and will feature in the Genius of Hitchcock series, part of the...
60 days to go!
Next weekend marks the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Her 60 year reign will be celebrated around the world and there will be lots of special events taking place in the UK.
See the Diamond Jubilee website for more information.
Official portrait of The Queen taken in the Centre Room in Buckingham Palace in December 2011 © Royal Household/John Swannell
61 days to go!
The Olympic Torch will end its journey today in Aberystwyth - a historic market town where, from the promenade on a clear day, you can see Wales’ tallest mountain Snowdon to the North.
Snowdon lies within Snowdonia National Park which will celebrate its 61st anniversary of becoming a National Park in 2012.
Find out more about Snowdonia National Park.
62 days to go!
The Olympic Torch arrives in Wales today, a country known for its stunning mountains, beautiful countryside and love of music, literature and sport.
Wales is home to almost 5 percent of the UK’s population of nearly 62 million people. Find out more about visiting Wales
by formalfallacy @ Dublin
63 days to go!
Sixty three different regional and national languages are spoken in the countries around the world where the International Inspiration programme has enriched the lives of children and young people through high-quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play.
Find out more about International Inspiration.
Oscar Pistorius
International Inspiration ambassador .
64 days to go!
Did you know that the Paralympic movement began 64 years ago in the English village of Stoke Mandeville. Following his revolutionary work using sport to treat World War II veterans with spinal injuries, neurologist Dr Ludwig Guttman set up a competition in Stoke Mandeville for his patients to compete with other hospitals.
The first competition coincided with the 1948 London Olympic Games. Over...
65 days to go!
In the same year as The Beatles released their Help! and Rubber Soul albums (1965), Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, appointed John, Paul, George and Ringo Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). The Beatles popularity continues today and they are the best-selling musical act in history, with estimated sales of over one billion units.
The Beatles really represent GREAT British...
66 days to go!
There are 66 cities in the UK for visitors to explore and there will be another three by the end of 2012. Chelmsford, Perth and St Asaph will be granted city status to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Find out more about the Diamond Jubilee cities on the DCMS website.
67 days to go!
Today we are celebrating two milestones - 67 days until the Olympic Games and 100 days until the London 2012 Paralympic Games begin. One of the events we can look forward to at the Paralympic Games is wheelchair basketball. Wheelchair basketball is played in more than 80 countries will celebrate its 67th anniversary in 2012. Find out more about the history of wheelchair basketball.
68 days to go!
The English Premier League is one of the world’s most watched football leagues and players in the 20 clubs represent at least 68 different nationalities. Manchester City lifted the trophy this year after scoring a last minute winning goal. Find out more about the Premier League and the clubs on the Premier League website.
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69 days to go!
The Olympic Torch will begin its 8000 mile relay today travelling from Lands End to Plymouth. On the way it will pass through many villages and towns including Falmouth, where in 1969, British sailor, Sir Robin Knox-Johnson ended his 10 month journey to become the first person to sail solo around the world without stopping. Learn more about Sir Robin Knox-Johnson’s journey.
70 days to go!
The Olympic Torch Relay begins its 70 day journey tomorrow. 8000 inspirational people will carry the Olympic Flame as it travels the length and breadth of the UK and makes a short trip Ireland. Find out more about those who will be watched by millions as they carry the torch on the London 2012 website.
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71 days to go!
British Fashion Designer, Stella McCartney, was born in 1971. Stella designed the uniforms that will be worn by athletes in the British Olympic and Paralympic teams at the London 2012 Games. Find out more about GREAT British Fashion on Facebook.
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72 days to go!
The first ever official international football match took place in 1872 between Scotland and England. 4000 spectators watched the thrilling 0-0 draw!
Find out more about GREAT British Sport on facebook.
73 days to go!
Hadrian’s Wall was built in AD122 to keep the “barbarians” out of the Roman Empire ahead of Emperor Hadrian’s visit to Britain. At 73 miles long, the wall is the largest ancient monument in Northern Europe. Check the Enjoy England website for details about visiting the wall and things to see and do along the route.
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74 days to go!
Did you know that no place in England is more than 74 miles from the coast? With 131 Blue Flag Beaches and Marinas around the UK, there is plenty of stunning coastline to explore. Find the nearest beach for you to visit on the Visit Britain website.
75 days to go!
75 pence in every pound spent on the Olympic Park has been on long term developments that will continue to bring benefits the area after the Games. Learn more about the Games Legacy on the London 2012 website.
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76 days to go!
Since the start of the awards, there have been 76 British Nobel Prize winners in Science and Technology alone. Learn more about GREAT British Science and Technology on Facebook.
77 days to go!
The Segontium Roman Fort in North Wales dates back to AD77. Visitors can explore the remains of the fort and learn about its history at the fort museum. Find out more about visiting the Fort, nearby Caernarfon castle and other attractions in North Wales on the Visit Wales website.
78 days to go!
In 1978, Louise Brown was the first baby born after in vitro fertilization, or IVF. IVF was developed by British fertility pioneers Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards. Mr Edwards received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for developing the technique. Britain continues to pioneer innovation in science and medicine today. Find out more about British innovation on Facebook.
79 days to go!
The Yorkshire Wolds Way is a 79 mile National Trail through the gentle dales of eastern Yorkshire. The trail takes walkers through charming countryside and historic villages. Find out more about GREAT British Countryside on facebook.
80 days to go!
The Olympic Stadium will be packed with 80,000 excited spectators this summer during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
If you will be at the Games this summer, or would like to be, find out everything spectators will need to know on the London 2012 website.
81 days to go!
London’s most famous rock’n’roll landmark, the Abbey Road Studios, opened 81 years ago in 1931.
It was in 1969 that The Beatles created one of music’s most iconic images when they stepped outside of the studio for a photo shoot on the now legendary zebra crossing.
Find out more about London’s music landmarks on the Visit Britain website.
82 days to go!
Work began on the site of one of Scotland’s most recognisable landmarks, the Forth Rail Bridge in 1882, although construction didn’t start until the following year. The Bridge spans 2.5 km and carries passengers in nearly 200 trains every day between Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh, and the picturesque and historic Kingdom of Fife. Find out more about the Forth Rail...
83 days to go
British Band Eurythmics’ first entered the UK charts in 1983 with their second album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These).
After a string of hits in the 1980s, lead singer, Annie Lennox, went on to have a successful solo career and is renowned for her humanitarian work. An exhibition ‘The House of Annie Lennox’ contains a selection of costumes and personal treasures has been created as...
84 days to go
At the 84th Academy Awards earlier this year, Northern Irish father and daughter film makers, Terry and Oorlagh George, became the first father-daughter team to win an Oscar for their short film The Shore.
Learn more about the film on the Discover Ireland website
85 days to go
Back in 1985, the Live Aid Concerts in London and Philadelphia were the world’s first large scale fund raising concerts and raised money for relief of famine in Ethiopia. Live Aid set the record for the largest ever television broadcast with an estimated audience of 1.9 billion.
In 2012, 4 billion people around the world are expected to watch the opening ceremony and the rest of the...
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86 days to go
This year, we are celebrating British literary greats, such as Dickens and Shakespeare. Did you know it is 86 years since another British author, AA Milne, first published his classic children’s book Winnie the Pooh? Find out more about GREAT British Creativity on Facebook
87 days to go
There will be at least 87 hours of “the beautiful game” played around the UK in the Olympic Men and Women’s football competitions this summer.
Football is the only event that starts before the Opening Ceremony. The first event of London 2012 will be the Team GB v New Zealand in the women’s competition on 25 July. Learn more about Olympic football on the London 2012...
