WITH 200 days to go on Monday until the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games, Erme Valley Harriers officials are getting ready for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and giving local people the chance to get involved in athletics.

Erme Valley Harriers are an official England Athletics-affiliated club and are offering a number of different ways that people can get involved in the sport.

They are doing this as a partner in a nationwide campaign, being promoted by England Athletics, to help give more people the opportunity to get involved in athletics during the Olympic and Paralympic year of 2012.

The campaign includes offering people the opportunity to help support their local club in a volunteer role, or by taking up athletics.

Keith Reed from the club said: 'We are supporting this campaign locally because we are trying to recruit new athletes into our club as well as volunteers to help run it. We offer coaching for new athletes, whether they are just eight years old, or if they are taking up recreational running to keep fit in later life.

'Our sport is so diverse there is something for all and it appeals to families as well. We have a real need for new volunteers to help at junior and senior sessions, and also need people to help with community events and club administration.

'We sincerely hope that the 2012 Olympics will inspire local people to get involved in athletics in whatever way they wish to.'

Alex Copeland, national club development officer for England Athletics, said: 'Athletics is a fantastic sport and all the excitement of it will be brought home to people when the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games come to London this year.'

He added: 'The atmosphere in the stadium promises to be fantastic.

'The landmark, on Monday of 200 days to go gives people a great opportunity to get involved in the sport and to feel what is happening is part of 'their sport' when the Games begin.

'Clubs such as Erme Valley give people a great opportunity to get involved in the sport. People may not go on to be involved in the Olympic or Paralympic Games, but the excitement and enjoyment they can get is every bit as great.

'The great thing about athletics is the diversity of events and roles people can have. The events range from road-running to javelin throwing, hammer throwing to high hurdles, long jump to long distance, race walking to pole vault, sprinting to shot put. There really is no stereotypical event. This means our sport has an incredible range of people involved as athletes, volunteers, coaches and officials.

'Erme Valley does not just have people involved as athletes, you can also get involved and go on to become a coach, official, team manager, or fulfil one of many different roles at the club that can give a great amount of satisfaction to you and benefit the club and wider community.'

To get involved in the club, you should contact Keith Reed at [email protected]">[email protected] or by telephone on 01752 893573.

Alternatively you can visit the club's website http://www.ermevalleyharr">www.ermevalleyharr iers .co.uk to see more details. To find out more about England Athletics' work to give more people the opportunity to be involved in athletics as a volunteer please see http://www.englan">www.englan dathletics.org/volunteering.

To find out more about how you can get involved in the sport as a participant see http://www.englandathletics.org/clubs">www.englandathletics.org/clubs.