Tower Hamlets Project - PAYP paralympic sports Day

Zoe Ward and her team (DiJe and Tahmina) put on a really fantastic community event yesterday at Mile End Stadium, East London. Over 140 people turned up to compete in various athletics events, from boccia, adaptive shot-put to 100m sprint and 4person team relay.

Darren Harris (former Paralympic Judo player and 2012 Goalball hopeful) and I represented the DKH Legacy Trust, encouraging participants and having the honor of presenting medals. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and brilliantly organized day.

The atmosphere was relaxed and inclusive, I was impressed at the numbers of participants am sure that everyone enjoyed the event. I even had my hand painted with henna and had a go at adaptive golf (not as easy as it sounds)!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Young Leaders never cease to amaze me with their maturity, effort and organizational skills! What a great team, supported by Simon Stevens from V, well done 2012 Young Leaders!

Community Project Unveiled by Young Leaders

The Young Leaders on the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust London 2012 Young Leaders Programme have been busy in the community, and I had the privilege of attending the unveiling of the Greenwich group's impressive Olympic Mural.

The project was led by Matt Hutchings and supported by the rest of the Greenwich team: Brandylene Forsom, Tolu Odusanya, Nikki Oduwunmi and a few volunteers.

The large, stunning, Olympic themed design, was painted on the mural and then the Young Leaders and Olympic Badminton star, Donna Kellogg, took it around primary schools on foot, engaging numerous local children in decorating the painting on London 2012.

Friends, family, teachers and volunteers came to support the unveiling of the spectacular mural and I spoke about the effect on the community of this project and the development I have seen in the Young Leaders. They have done a brilliant first community project and I look forward to the next projects (Including an Olympic themed photography show and 40m community run).

It is great to see the effort these young people are putting in, the results are spectacular, it goes to show that you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

NCS Community Residential ...to plan...to believe...to succeed!

16 year old school leavers participating in the National Citizens Service, complete the 'Community Residential' of their Summer of a Lifetime today.


This third phase of the project involved another week away from home, getting out and helping in the community, from helping out in an Old People's Home to the Fire Service.


I spent the evening, focusing on overcoming challenges and getting involved with evening teamwork activities. We had loads of fun and I was really buzzing as I drove home!


Olympic high jumper, Brendan Reilly, also got involved through the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust. Brendan did a 20 minute talk at the beginning about Dream Goals....to plan...to believe...to succeed. They had a go at a few machines, and did a medicine ball throwing competition which went down well.


This week the young people have had a taste of working in the community and chosen and project to design and implement over the next month.


Since starting the project I have noticed a monumental change in confidence, self-belief and group dynamics, a quarter of the young people have enrolled in college courses. Brendan also spotted a couple of good athletes and is facilitating try out sessions for them in athletics.


The message at Deloitte sponsored CBI West Midlands Summer Banquet, fundraising for Local Disability Sport, was reducing inequality through education. I had the pleasure of hearing World Champion, David Moorcroft speak as well as CBI Director General, John Gridland who highlighted the worsening and educational inequalities in the UK.

Schemes like the NCS and Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, striving to create life chances for young people, make a real difference and I am very pleased to be involved.

Everyone deserves a shot at success.