The first ever Olympic and Paralympic legacy plan to bring about lasting changes to the life experiences of disabled people has been published by the Government.
Endorsed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), London 2012: A Legacy for Disabled People, aims to improve the lives of 10 million disabled people in the UK by increasing participation in sport and physical activity; improving business, transport and employment opportunities; and changing attitudes and perceptions of disabled people in society.
Sport England has given sport for disabled people a further boost by announcing that it is investing £1.5 million of Exchequer funding in the English Federation of Disability Sport to help them deliver a new strategy to increase participation and opportunities for disabled people.
They have also announced that they will be making £2 million of targeted National Lottery funding available, by application, to nine disability sports organisations including: British Blind Sport, Mencap Sport, Wheelpower and the Special Olympics.
A further £8 million of National Lottery funding has also been ring-fenced by Sport England for investment in sport for disabled people over the next two years, along with many other sporting, business, and cultural initiatives.
London 2012 and Arts Council England have also officially announced that £400,000 of funding has been awarded to ten commissions by disabled artists as part of the Unlimited programme. The scheme which celebrates the arts, culture and sport by disabled and deaf people aims to help transform the disability arts movement in the UK and celebrate the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics and Paralympics, said:
“We want the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to showcase a Britain without barriers. By working to increase sports participation, improve employment opportunities amongst disabled people and develop a greater appreciation of disability issues in society, our legacy plan for disabled people aims to make a real difference to the way disabled people live their lives every day.”
SEE for the 2012 Games Secretariat in Yorkshire and the Humber, Alan Graver, who also chairs the Network’s Paralympics-inspired working group said: “This plan is extremely important, and I am excited about the prospect of working with disabled and non-disabled people in our region to give it tangible meaning in their daily lives. We look forward, for example, to developing the first-ever ‘celebrating ability’ event in York later in the year and making a positive contribution to changing attitudes towards disability for the long-term.”
Copies of London 2012: A Legacy for Disabled People can be obtained from the DCMS website.