Last year a number of organisations in the London Borough of Sutton came together to put on a joint community Paralympic Festival for people with learning difficulties in the borough. Following the great success of this event, with attendance of around 600 people, they are holding another Paralympic Festival on Wednesday 20 June 2012 at Sutton Arena Leisure Centre.

The aim of the festival is to help build partnerships within the community for people with severe and multiple learning difficulties and disabilities. There will be a range of sporting activities for people of all abilities to take part in through out the day, with football, basketball, cricket, cycling, dance and more. On site there will also be Police Community Support Officers, nurses and healthy living workshops, art workshops, Radio Jackie and much more and all for FREE.

Organisations involved with putting on this fantastic event include Orchard Hill College, Carshalton College, Sutton Inclusion Centre, MENCAP, Community Nurses and the London Borough of Sutton.

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has inspired Orchard Hill College and their partners involved to promote the ethos of people coming together for one big event. Their aim is to build partnerships and raise awareness of people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities within the borough involving all colleges, schools and local provisions.

Kelly Banton, Curriculum Manager, from Orchard Hill College said “We want to celebrate all sporting achievements for our learners no matter how big or small. Our ultimate destination is for learners with learning disabilities to be able to make a contribution to their local community through work or independent living. We aim to build the foundations for these links at the Paralympic Festival through using sport as a common ground to enable people to come together in one community.”

The organisers are also grateful for the support from the National Union of Students (NUS) Be a Champion programme who have contributed to the funding of the festival in celebration of the student involvement with the project.

Orchard Hill College is a non-residential Independant Specialist Provider with Centres across London offering a friendly and supportive learning environment for young people and adults with severe/profound and complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Orchard Hill and Carshalton College work in partnership providing the Vocational Progression Centre located on the Nightingale Road site.

Participants can come along from 9.30am to sign in. Family and friends are welcome with free parking.

Promotional posters and back drops for the medal presentations for the festival have been designed by students from the Media and Art & Design Courses at Carshalton College. Congratulations to Dario Tene Ince, who's winning design was chosen for the festival promotional posters and Stefano Iuliano who will be designing the festival programme.

The Paralympic Festival has been granted the Inspire mark by the London 2012 Inspire programme.

The London 2012 Inspire programme recognises innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

If you need any further information on the Paralympic Festival, please contact e: paralympicfestival@orchardhill.ac.uk t: 020 8254 7820 Based on information supplied by Maxine Alexander.