Hannah Dobbin talks about National Paralympics Day.
Para-Sport is on the up. Over the past few years major Para-Sport events have received much more media coverage and inspired people of all abilities to get active.
National Paralympic Day on 30 August 2014 is your chance to see Para-Sport up close and for disabled children and adults to have a go at sports they’ve probably never tried before.
Para-Sport has come a long way since the Stoke Mandeville Games in 1948 which was the first organised sports event for athletes with physical impairments. The Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 was the first time that Para-Sports were part of a fully inclusive sports programme.
Following that, who can forget London 2012, where 2.7 million of us crammed into the venues to get a glimpse. And of course Glasgow 2014 which saw the largest Para-sport programme in the history of the Commonwealth’s with events fully integrated into the medals tables and schedules for the first time.
It’s growing at a local, grassroots level too. My own interest in disability sport has grown since I helped set up Waltham Forest Hockey Club’s Forest Flyerz – the first disability youth hockey club in the country – a few years ago.
This is just one example of opportunities available to disabled children and adults across the country. Others include athletics, karate, goalball, wheelchair rugby and many more.
Building on all this progress, National Paralympic Day events will take place in London, Liverpool, Birmingham and Glasgow. It’s destined to be a fun, family day out featuring the very best of disability sports and arts.
You can get tickets from as little as £5 to see Paralympians in action or you can join in the free taster sessions.
Jody Cundy and Jade Etherington, two of the Paralympians attending the event at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, are excited to be part of the celebrations.
Jody Cundy can't wait: “It’s absolutely fantastic that we can capture the support from London 2012 so that two years on we have an event which offers fans the chance to come together and watch elite competition, meet athletes and try out different sports, all in celebration of the Paralympics.”
Jade Etherington made history in Sochi claiming three silver and one bronze medal in Alpine Skiing with her guide, Caroline Powell, making them ParalympicsGB’s most successful Winter Paralympians.
Jade said: “I’m really excited to be part of the celebrations for National Paralympic Day 2014. I’m so proud to be a Paralympian. It’s brilliant that this year we get to join the line-up of Paralympians in attendance on the day alongside our counterparts from London 2012 and represent winter sport for the first time.”
"The great thing about sport is that everyone can do it. In some cases all that’s needed is a bit of creativity and thought to make it accessible to all.
"You can also volunteer at your local club. So why not get involved and go along to a National Paralympic Day event near you?"
But it's not just current athletes who are excited. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Board Member of the London Legacy Development Corporation is too.
"Thousands of families enjoyed a day of disability sport and culture at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2013 and we’re thrilled to be hosting an even bigger and better event this year.
"Events like this are vital to ensuring that the momentum from the London 2012 Paralympic Games continues to inspire disabled and non-disabled people to take up sport, try arts and make the most of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park."
Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of the British Paralympic Association, feels the day is another chance to discover Para-Sport.
“National Paralympic Day is another opportunity for our fans to enjoy fantastic sport and to engage with our amazing athletes and we hope that the public will enjoy the day as much this year as they did in 2013.”
National Paralympic day is organised by the British Paralympic Association supported by funds from the Spirit of 2012 Trust.
Find out more about National Paralympic Day.
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