Originally called Manchester Olympic Bid 2000 Ltd, Manchester 2002 Ltd, also known as M2002 Ltd, was established in August 1996 and was charged with staging the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games (Company Number 03150364). The company was structured into operational areas charged with planning and implementing the games. Each operational area was then subdivided into Functional Areas which covered a more specialised aspect of the games planning and delivery. From 1996-2000 M2002 focussed on strategic planning. In 2000 they sent a fact-finding team to the Sydney Olympics, which was able to bring back ideas. The company also recruited staff from Sydney, benefitting from their experience. In 2000-2001 the company began recruiting volunteers, who would become a central part of the games. Between January and July 2002 the company entered an Operational & Delivery Stage. At this point M2002 Ltd worked alongside three types of key partners to produce the Games: Strategic & Funding Stakeholders, Operational Stakeholders and Regional Stakeholders. They staged test events at the various venues, which highlighted the need for further recruitment of staff. The extensive preparations of the company resulted in a successful event. From August - December 2002, the company entered a winding-up phase. M2002 Ltd. was formally dissolved on 8 Sep 2009.