Celebrate 10 Years Since the London 2012 Paralympics, in Bucks

Cultural and the Arts, Health and Social Care

Junk modelling to drawing blindfolded, designing a Paralympian T-shirt to hearing from the Head of Costume and Make Up for the 2012 Paralympic Opening and Closing ceremonies, meeting Paralympian John Harris and seeing “I Have A Voice Too” perform.  There’s a whole host of activities taking place across Buckinghamshire as part of Together We Build, a project coordinated by Buckinghamshire Culture, celebrating the 10 year anniversary of London 2012 Paralympics. Each activity is inspired by an object relating to the Paralympics that has been selected by a group of Community Curators.

Activities will be taking place at Amersham Museum, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Bekonscot, Chiltern Open Air Museum, Discover Bucks Museum, The Elgiva, Marlow Library, Milton’s Cottage, Queens Park Arts Centre and Waddesdon Manor. For full details visit www.buckinghamshireculture.org

The National Paralympic Heritage Trust have worked with the Community Curators to select the objects – from a torch from Tokyo 2020 games, to costumes from the London 2012 Paralympic opening ceremony to the racing wheelchair used by Chris Hallam in the 1980s. Each venue is hosting one of these objects with the Community Curator’s interpretation. You can also visit the online gallery to view them on the website.

Together We Build shares the story of the Paralympics, the forerunner of which Dr Guttman started in Stoke Mandeville in the 1940s; now known all over the world.  As well as the exhibition and events, the project is providing training in access and disability awareness for our cultural organisations, development of an Access Manifesto and collection of memories and reflections relating to the 2012 Paralympics.

Councillor Clive Harris, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure at Buckinghamshire Council said: “This is such an important story for our county, yet we often find that although it is well-known in Stoke Mandeville where it all started, and internationally, it is not well-known across wider parts of Buckinghamshire.  It is brilliant that our cultural partners want to celebrate it and share the story with people across the whole county and beyond.”

Buckinghamshire Culture is leading this project.  Project partners include those who hold Paralympic collections: Buckinghamshire Archives, Discover Bucks Museum, National Paralympic Heritage Trust and Waddesdon Manor.  And those who will host objects, displays and events for our exhibition:

For further information about the project and to see all opportunities as they arise please see: www.buckinghamshireculture.org/Together-We-Build and #TogetherWeBuildBucks on social media.  Or contact Helen: Helen@buckinghamshireculture.org

Together We Build is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.  Support has also been provided by Buckinghamshire Council.