Olympic & Paralympic Mascots Unveiled
The mascots for the London 2012 Games have been unveiled and have a very special connection with Buckinghamshire.
On May 19th the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) unveiled its Olympic Mascot, Wenlock and Paralympic Mascot, Mandeville - named after Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement.
Britain's most decorated Paralympian Dame Tanni Grey Thompson and LOCOG Director of Paralympic Integration Chris Holmes visited Stoke Mandeville Stadium to support the national launch and reveal the inspiration behind the mascots.
LOCOG Chairman Sebastian Coe commented, “We’ve created our mascots for children. They will connect young people with sport and tell the story of our proud Olympic and Paralympic history. By linking young people to the values of sport, Wenlock and Mandeville will help inspire kids to strive to be the best they can be.”
Wenlock and Mandeville were created from the last drops of steel left over from the construction of the final support girder for the Olympic Stadium. An animated film, based on a
story by children’s author Michael Morpurgo, shows how the figures were brought to life and are able to reflect and adapt to their surroundings, changing their appearance depending on the situation. Wenlock and Mandeville will now go on separate journeys, often crossing paths and meeting people all over the country inspiring them to choose sport as they head towards the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
The mascots’ names reflect the UK’s rich Olympic and Paralympic histories. Wenlock’s name is inspired by the Shropshire village of Much Wenlock where the ‘Wenlock Games’ was one of the inspirations that led the founder of the modern Olympic movement Baron Pierre de Coubertin to create the Olympic Games. Mandeville’s name is inspired by Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire. In the 1940s, Dr.Ludwig Guttmann came to Stoke Mandeville Hospital to set up a new spinal unit to help former soldiers suffering from spinal cord injuries. Looking for ways to inspire those in his care, he encouraged them to take up sport, leading to the formation of the Stoke Mandeville Games, widely recognised as a forerunner of the modern Paralympic movement.
Jack Geraghty from Mandeville School, was thrilled to attend the event. "I felt privileged to be asked to go to one of the most important times in the London 2012 Paralympic Games calendar" the Year 12 student commented. "The mascots looked amazing and the story behind them was also very impressive. The fact that one of the mascots was called Mandeville made me very proud, knowing that our school name will be spoken all around the world. The cherry on the cake was meeting Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, what an experience."
Sarah Mason, Mandeville student and Gold Young Ambassador for the School Sports Partnership enthused, "now when people ask where I am from and I say I am from Mandeville, people know where I am from, because of the Mascot. I think the Mascots are unique and bring a technological view to the 2012 Games. The Mandeville Mascot brings our school closer to the games and I feel very privileged to be one of the first people to see the Mascots as they are an essential key to the Olympic and Paralympic Games".
On 3 June 2010, sports coaches across the county came together at a special coach development event organised by Bucks Sport and the Bucks and Milton Keynes School Sports Partnerships at Aylesbury High School. Here they met various leaders in the sports coaching and development arena, including Miriam Luke, a pioneer in British women’s rowing and a triple Olympian. Miriam welcomed them by sharing her own inspirational story and explaining the vital role coaches have played in her sports career, culminating in her winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney 2000. Coming from a variety of backgrounds, the coaches (some professional, others who volunteer at their local sports club or are looking to develop coaching as a career) all shared the same goal of wanting to be at the top of their game and to support sport in Buckinghamshire.
FLY THE FLAG June 2010 UpdateIt has been an exceptional few weeks for Buckinghamshire athletes as they step up their preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
England Football DayEngland Football Day is a campaign that aims to inspire more people to get into football at a time when the whole nation is excited about England’s participation in the FIFA World Cup. The FA has three specific objectives which can be summarised by the campaign message: Play, Coach, Celebrate.
Get fit on the way to work…and still have time to watch the matchWith events like Wimbledon and the FIFA World Cup taking place this month it’s easy to become a spectator. Rather than staying on the sidelines why not do some sport or activity on the way to or from work with the help of Reactivate Bucks? Reactivate Bucks, connects people to hundreds of sports and activities across the county. This month, there are lots of ongoing opportunities to get fit, feel healthy and have fun.
Bucks Youth Games Awarded London 2012 Inspire Mark
We are delighted to announce that the 2010 Bucks Youth Games has been granted the Inspire Mark, the badge of the the London 2012 Inspire Programme.
Register your interest for 2012 tickets The world’s greatest sporting events are coming to London! Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will go on sale in 2011. You can make a start by registering your interest. Tickets are not yet on sale.
Cheers to a fun way for girls to get fit and activeAs part of a new initiative to encourage more Key Stage 3 & 4 girls to become active and enjoy sport, Mandeville School recently hosted its first cheerleading course. Fourteen local teachers, coaches, and students attended the course delivered by the UK Cheerleading Association (UKCA).
Olympic Gold Medallist, Denise Lewis, encourages local runners to spring into actionWith Spring just round the corner, now is a great time to branch out and feel good by giving sport or exercise a go! Reactivate Bucks, the campaign that connects people to hundreds of sports and activities across the county, is putting a spring in everyone’s step this March. Throughout the month there will be lots of activities on offer ranging from free dance classes to Return to Sport courses for people who want to get back into a sport they once enjoyed. And Olympic Gold Medallist, Denise Lewis, offers encouragement to people dusting off their trainers to get running again.
Patients take part in sports leadership training at the National Spinal Injuries CentreA group of patients from the National Spinal Injuries Centre in Stoke Mandeville had the opportunity recently to complete the Day Certificate in Sports Leadership Course.
Milton Keynes swimming instructor wins major BBC Sports Award At the 2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year event on 13 December, Doreen Adcock, a 72-year-old swimming instructor, won the Sports Unsung Hero award. Doreen has taught over 13,000 people to swim in Milton Keynes over the last 35 years. Doreen, who also has a Facebook page dedicated to her, has helped three generations of people to swim in the local area.
Olympics Minister helps to celebrate success of local arts projectOlympics Minister Tessa Jowell MP visited Cressex Community School recently to meet students who have been working with disabled artists and athletes to create new artwork which tells the story of the Paralympics, its birth in Buckinghamshire, and the inspiration that drives them.
New Bucks Sport & 2012 Business Guide AvailableA handy new guide to help Buckinghamshire businesses inspire a lasting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is available now.
Year 3 Sport Unlimited Funding - Expression of Interest Opens The Sport Unlimited programme aims to provide 'Semi Sporty' young people (aged 5-19) with the opportunity to take part in 1 more hour of sport/physical activity per week. The programme is an integral part of the Government's plans to ensure that all young people have the opportunity to take part in 5 hours of sport/physical activity per week (3 hours for 16-19 year olds). Sport Unlimited funding is available to deliver 8-10 week activity blocks (outside of curriculum time) to young people with a target of ensuring they attend at least 60% of the sessions in the block. Any organisation who meets minimum organisational standards (e.g., safegaurding and equity) can apply for the funding
Improvements Underway at Bucks 2012 VenueConstruction work is now underway to deliver enhanced Rowing and Canoe Sprint facilities for the London 2012 Games at Buckinghamshire's Olympic and Paralympic venue, the Eton College Rowing Centre at Dorney Lake.
Reactivate funding successBucks Sport has secured £284,500 from Sport England Community Investment Fund for the Reactivate Bucks project. This combines with other funding sources to give a total of £820,000 for new posts and project delivery.
Does your sports club need volunteers?Bucks Sport have over 500 people on our database who have expressed an interest in sports volunteering. Bucks Sport aims to signpost people who want to volunteer in sport to sports clubs and organisations that require volunteers.
Whether your Sports Club/organisation needs assistant coach's for it's junior teams, a club treasurer, an official, administrator or someone to fill any other position, Bucks Sport can advertise your clubs volunteer role on our website www.buckssport.org/sis, and directly to the 500 volunteers on our database.
Bucks Fly the FlagMany Buckinghamshire athletes are currently striving to achieve their ultimate goal of representing their country in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Listed here is our initial selection of athletes with Buckinghamshire connections who we believe have a great chance of representing Great Britain on home soil in 2012.
25th Anniversary of Bucks Hosting Paralympic GamesIt was 25 years ago today that the last Paralympic Games to be held on British soil were hosted at Stoke Mandeville, the Buckinghamshire venue stepped in to host the games after the initial venue, Champagne, Illinois pulled out less than four months ahead of the games.
2012 Business Training OpportunitiesOver 15,000 contracts worth in excess of £9billion are on offer for the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games.
Regular FREE workshops are held throughout Bucks to help businesses make the most of the opportunities being provided by the games.
Please see below to find the latest events in this area.
£1.14 million for Buckinghamshire!We are delighted to announce that The Buckinghamshire Foundation (TBF) has been successful with its application to manage the Grassroots Grants Programme in Buckinghamshire on behalf of the Office of the Third Sector (OTS).