NEARLY five years ago the Colchester Partnership was set up, with the aim of attracting a foreign team to train in the town ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

However, with the Games less than 18 months away, no countries have yet signed up.

So what has the partnership, comprising Colchester and Essex County councils, Colchester Garrison and Essex University, achieved?

Quite a lot, insists Dr Tony Rich, the partnership’s chairman. He is still hopeful of finding a nation to use Colchester as a training camp.

Colchester’s sales pitch includes training facilities at Leisure World, Essex University, Colchester Garrison and the SD Martial Arts Centre. Meanwhile, the Olympic stadium, at Stratford, East London, is only a 50-minute journey away.

Dr Rich, also registrar and secretary at the university, said: “Working in partnership with the county council, we have had a number of people visiting the county and Colchester.

“I hope we will be able to announce a team will be coming, but we can’t get more excited than that at the moment.”

The partnership also said focusing on training camps obscured the other work it had done in securing an Olympic legacy for the area.

Dr Rich added: “I think an awful lot has been going on and we probably haven’t given it enough of a profile.”

Dr Rich lists free swimming lessons, Olympic-themed health walks and bike rides, and mini games at Colchester Garrison as events that will improve the health of the region’s residents. A £76,000 scheme also saw rowing machines installed in every secondary school in Colchester and Tendring, Upgrades include the adiZone sports area in Monkwick, a new pavilion at Abbey Fields and the Evolve gym at the university.

Dr Rich believes that without the Olympics, these improvements would not have come to Colchester.

He said: “A lot of the promoting of sports and being healthy is about having the Olympics in London.

“Some things might have happened, but it wouldn’t have had the inspiration the Olympics will give to it.”

Colchester’s short distance to London and Stratford has helped local businesses find work, after being pointed by the partnership to the CompeteFor website, where they can apply for contracts related to the Olympics.

Concrete company Cemex, in Whitehall Road, Colchester, is helping to build the aquatics centre. Cadman Cranes, in Moss Road, Stanway, has leased equipment to the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Kat Creativ PR has also won two event management contracts for the Games.

Colchester will also find out next month whether the Olympic torch will pass through the town.

Meanwhile, cuts in public sector funding will not stop the partnership doing what it can to enable Colchester residents to enjoy the 2012 event.

Councillor Tina Dopson, who is heading Colchester Council’s efforts, said: “You can’t put a price on excitement.”