A nationwide talent search for Paralympic athletes has been launched to tie in with the 1,000 day countdown to the 2012 Paralympics.
Thursday December 3 marks 1,000 days to go to the start of the London 2012 Paralympics.
UK Sport, in partnership with ParalympicsGB, has launched a nationwide talent search for Paralympic athletes for sporting programmes in 2010.
West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy Deborah Urquhart said: “As a county West Sussex has many talented athletes and I would encourage potential Paralympians to sign up – it could lead to a place in the Great Britain 2012 squad.”
Newick House School in Burgess Hill, a special school for children with learning difficulties, is marking the 1,000 day countdown with a series of challenges.
Headteacher Gill Perry said: “We are having a special day with several classes taking part in 1,000 metre runs and other physical challenges. Pupils will have lots of fun as they join in the countdown to the opening of the Paralympic Games in 2012.”
Thursday December 3 also marks the launch of Accentuate, the 2012 Legacy Project for the South East region. It features Blue Touch Paper, the West Sussex project for a fully accessible carnival in the run up to the 2012 London Games, which has been awarded a £10,000 grant from Accentuate.
Deborah said: “Blue Touch Paper is one of our flagship projects. The carnival website has been shortlisted for a prestigious JODI award (Museum, Libraries and Arts) as the most accessible website in the country and work is progressing to create the most accessible, integrated and friendly carnival experience the world has ever seen!”
The Carnival is one of many projects under ‘West Sussex – Ahead of the Game’, the countywide initiative to help West Sussex make the most of the 2012 Games.
For further information visit the website at www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com, or the Carnival website at www.btpcarnival.co.uk.
To find out more about the nationwide talent search for Paralympic athletes visit the UK Sport website at www.uksport.gov.uk. The last date to sign up is Friday January 15, 2010.
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