Family Fun Day Celebration

Celebrating our Community 75 years on!

On Friday 28th July from 12 noon until 4pm we were delighted to invite families to our fun day filled with workshops, craft, sports and tours - all things Paralympic Heritage!

Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the very first Stoke Mandeville Games and marking the end of our Stories from Buckinghamshire project. The history of the Paralympic Movement would have looked very different without the support of the communities in Buckinghamshire. 

The day included a 'Meet the Paralympian' who competed at the Stoke Mandeville 1984 Games. These Games nearly didn't take place as the sponsors of the original host city pulled out threatening the very future of the Games.  The people of Buckinghamshire came together then and saved the Games. 

The fun packed day included:

• 10am-12pm Board Games 
• 12-2pm Craft Activity
• 12-4pm Artists Workshop
• 12-4pm Tours of the Paralympic Heritage Centre
• 1-3pm Face Painting
• 1-4pm Learn about a Paralympic Sport

12-2pm, Craft activity for children and adults

Hannah Thompson from Stitching Kitchen in Brackley, showed visitors how to create Dorset buttons in the shape of a wheelchair wheel. Kristina Veasey's artwork was on display, created by participants at The Stitching Kitchen, one of our partners on the Stories from Buckinghamshire project. This beautiful banner is full of symbolism and was inspired by the Paralympic ceremonies and the London 2012 cauldron.

 

12-4pm, Artist workshop with Jess Hamp

Artist Jess Hamp held a drop-in session to create a colourful collaborative banner inspired by objects and photographs from various Paralympic moments from the last 75 years.

12-4 pm, Explore the Paralympic Heritage Centre

Guided tours of the Heritage Centre were taken by our knowledgeable team of volunteers. Through our collection and interactive displays visitors find out how the Paralympic movement began, and over the years how a local sports competition turned into the spectacular event we have now -  the Paralympic Games!

1-3pm, Face painting

Face painting was on offer and children had the choice of the Paralympic mascots on display at the Paralympic Heritage Centre, the original Stoke Mandeville Games design and the Agitos which was introduced in 2004, now the recognised logo of the Paralympic Games.  

    

1-4pm, Learn about a Paralympic sport

Families had a chance to learn about the sports on the Paralympic programme including seated archery, blind football and boccia.