On 6 July 2005, hundreds of us gathered in Stratford to witness the Olympic Games coming to London.
As a host borough, we'll have the world's top athletes coming to town and the eye's of the globe will be on Newham.
But the Olympics are more than a sporting event. They're a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our borough and our residents. We're determined to make sure that local people benefit and that we see lasting, progressive changes in East London.
Greater job opportunities are one of the most important legacies the Olympics can bring. The Stratford City development - which will be here long after the Games are over - will bring lots of jobs to the area. To try and break the cycle of long-term unemployment present in some areas of the borough, we've persuaded John Lewis - just one of the stores which will be opening - to train and employ 250 local people who've been out of work for a long time.
Bring on 2012!