Hackney: A Host for 2012
Involving Everyone
During the Summer of 2012, the world will come to Hackney and we will extend the hand of friendship to all of the athletes taking part with a special welcome to the hundreds of Paralympians who will be participating. We are well placed to offer a ‘home from home’ to people from all over the world, with our eclectic mix of cultures and accessible facilities.
| What we said | What we did | What's next |
| Schools are at the heart of the 2012 Games and Hackney Council is working with local schools to make sure there are plenty of opportunities for children to use the Games to inspire learning. | The Schools at the Heart programme developed a Games-inspired curriculum for primary schools. The Paralympic Sports Championships started in 2008, with 37 schools taking part. In 2009 they involved twice the number of students, giving children of all abilities experience of Paraympic disciplines. | We will continue to develop our network of ‘link teachers’ into every school, and they will act as a conduit for the many opportunities available as they arise. |
| We are working with local sports and community groups to offer other chances such as volunteering, and to inspire young people to take part in more sports and cultural events. | The Hackney 2012 Youth Ambassadors programme has trained 24 students from our secondary schools to promote Games related issues with their peer group at school and in youth clubs, to contribute to legacy planning and speak publicly – including at an International Olympic Committee meeting. | A new group of Ambassadors will be recruited each year to 2012, to add to those who are still volunteering their time. We have started a programme of one to one meetings with voluntary and community organisations to discuss their further involvement in the Games. |
| We are determined that everyone who lives in the borough will feel involved in the 2012 Games and we are committed to giving our disabled residents better access to sports, arts and cultural events, work and volunteering. | To provide greater opportunities for disabled and non-disabled people to participate in sport inclusively, we concentrated on developing five disabled sports. There is now a dedicated sports club for boccia, swimming, athletics, wheelchair basketball and goalball. | We work to ensure that these sports clubs are sustainable for the Games and beyond. This includes exploring fund streams and working with the national governing bodies. We want to increase membership of the clubs by working with schools, disability groups and community organisations. |
| It is important that residents understand what’s happening in the run up to the Games and have the opportunity to contribute their ideas for the legacy, especially those living closest to the Olympic Park. | Regular public meetings are held for residents to input into legacy plans and find out what is happening, particularly in Hackney Wick. To broaden the input there have been meetings about the future with a range of participants including the Refugee Forum, Neighbourhood Forums and Turkish community organisations. | We will work with our partners to ensure that residents are fully informed about legacy issues, including green sites, building plans and the transport infrastructure. Using our widening network of residents and community organisations, we will ensure that knowledge of these plans is built to help inform considered responses. |
Sharon Jones Barnes
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Sharon Jones Barnes has been a wheelchair user since 2007 after she suffered stroke and had a partial amputation on her right leg. As part of her physiotherapy, Sharon discovered a love of badminton. In June 2008 she started training. Success came quickly; Sharon took two silver medals at the Four Nations tournament. |
In March 2009, Hackney Council’s 2012 Unit secured funding for a sports wheelchair which she says has really improved her game: “I’m able to move a lot quicker across the court. It’s given me so much confidence.”
Sharon won two gold medals at the Devonshire Championships in June 2009, and has passed her Level 1 Badminton Coach Assessment.
Sharon is lined up to take part in international championships and is really hopeful for the future.
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Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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