The city’s first citizen is urging residents to offer their support for the countries Paralympic athletes this Saturday as The National Flame arrives in the region.
The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, councillor Terry Crowe, who became disabled himself from polio at the age of two, is encouraging residents to visit The Trentham Estate this weekend (25) to see the Flame paddled down the lake by canoeist Dan Hopwood.
The day will also see up to 120 disabled people take part in various activities where they will be able to sharpen their football skills on an inflatable pitch and take part in cheerleading and boxing workshops. The celebrations will continue over a BBQ lunch where participants will be able to watch a Dancing for the Games choreographed performance and end with a closing ceremony as the Paralympic Lantern departs the Boat House back across the Lake.
The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, councillor Terry Crowe, said:
“I’m hoping that following on from the wave of euphoric wave of excitement the Olympic Games created local people will be just as willing to support their Paralympic equivalents.”
“Being disabled myself, I have seen first-hand the barriers that have to be overcome and it’s absolutely phenomenal the standards that these athletes have reached.”
The event is being organised by Trentham Watersports Association in conjunction with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Stafford Borough Council, Staffordshire County Council, StreetGames and the Trentham Estate.
On Friday August 24, 2012 John Court of Trentham Watersports Association and Dan Hopwood, world champion para-canoeist will travel to London and collect part of the English Flame during a ceremony in Trafalgar Square. They will then take it back to Stoke-on-Trent in a miner’s lantern.
It forms one of 36 Paralympic Flame celebration events taking place in the UK and follows the success of the Olympic Torch’s visit to Stoke-on-Trent earlier in the year.
Flames from the capital cities of the UK’s nations will travel to Stoke Mandeville – the home of the Paralympic Movement –and join to create the Paralympic Flame. This Flame will then be carried by teams of Torchbearers through the night to the Paralympic Opening Ceremony.
The 24-hour Relay – presented by BT, Lloyds TSB and Sainsbury’s – will see the Paralympic Flame carried 87 miles by 580 inspirational Torchbearers, working in teams of five, from Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire to London.
The Flame will travel through communities in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire before visiting a number of iconic London landmarks, including Piccadilly Circus, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street and Trafalgar Square – which will host live entertainment and sport screened throughout the Paralympic Games.
Individuals from Staffordshire will be amongst the 580 Torchbearers to carry the Paralympic Flame.
