With exactly six months to go to the London Games, four-time Olympic gold medallist rower Matthew Pinsent helped move in the first of more than 16,000 beds for athletes.

It came as the Olympic Delivery Authority officially handed over the Athlete’s Village to Games organisers Locog last Friday.

Work will now begin to fit out 2,818 apartments and get the Athlete Village ready to welcome athletes and officials from around the world.

Some 64,000 bed sheets , 11,000 sofas, 5,000 bins and 5,000 toilet brushes will be put in, while each apartment with have a television and wi-fi services.

The Olympic Village Plaza, the main social hub with shops and services, still needs to be build, along with a 24-hour 5,000 seater dining facility.

Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, John Armitt, said: “We will be finishing the landscaping as winter turns into spring, and then returning after the Games to complete the transformation to create homes for Londoners.”

The village can house 16,000 athletes and team officials during the Olympics.

After the Games Tower Hamlets Council stands to get more than 100 of the 675 homes that will be made available for social housing at the village.

The community that will become known as East Village will feature a total of 2,818 homes across 11 plots.

Applications are open until 22 February for adult volunteer performers to audition to participate in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. LOCOG are searching for 5,000 volunteer performers to fill roles as dancers, actors, percussionists and general all-round performers. People can find more information and register their interest for this opportunity by completing the online application form at www.london2012.com/ceremoniescasting.