Wheelpower are the owners of Stoke Mandeville Stadium which is considered to be the birthplace of Paralympic sport after Sir Ludwig Guttman organised the first disability events back in 1948 for World War Two veterans with spinal cord injuries who were rehabilitating at the local hospital.

Time to Shine is a scheme aimed at inpiring young disabled children to take part in sport and will see some 100 young people from the Olympic Host Boroughs of Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest together with children from neighbouring Boroughs of Havering and Bexley joining children from Buckinghamshire to celebrate the Paralympic countdown at the three day sports event.

Martin McElhatton, WheelPower chief executive, said: "With two years to go to the Paralympic Games in London, Time to Shine is providing an opportunity to inspire young disabled people to take part in sport. 

"For children with disabilities sport can be a fantastic way to lead a healthy lifestyle, have fun and break down the barriers in life.

"WheelPower welcomes the children from London to Stoke Mandeville Stadium and hopes that their experience here will inspire them to achieve their sporting dream just like the Paralympians will do in two years time in London."

Time to Shine is funded by WheelPower thanks to the support of the 2012 Olympic Park contractors matched in part by funding via Sport England’s Sportsmatch scheme. 

In addition to providing two events in 2009 and 2010 for children aged 6-11, Time to Shine has funded an activator role to support the Olympic Boroughs deliver their Olympic and Paralympic 5 Borough Sports Plan.

This, together with Time to Shine events in the lead up to 2012, will aim to provide a long lasting legacy for children with disabilities in the Olympic Boroughs, it has been claimed.

Ian Galloway, the London 2012 Olympic delivery partner CLM Programme Director, said: "Time to Shine provides a unique opportunity for children from London to visit and be inspired by Stoke Mandeville. 

"More importantly it gives them the chance to try sports they may not have had the opportunity to do at home and our hope is that we can create a legacy of sports provision across all Olympic Boroughs so that the legacy of London 2012 is a tangible one for children with disabilities with opportunities to take part in sport at all levels."

In recent years Stoke Mandeville has hosted many major sporting events including; the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships, international athletics and archery competitions and this October will host the Paralympic World Cup Shooting Competition.

In the run up to the London 2012 Games, Stoke Mandeville Stadium is providing world class training facilities for domestic and international athletes.

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