Tower Hamlets youngsters follow the Paralympic dream » Communities » 24dash.com

Following in the footsteps of Team GB’s Olympic heroes, four Tower Hamlets young people will be heading out to Beijing for the Paralympics as part of the Young Advocates Programme.

Jamie Lawson, Lisa Smith, Jakirul Tafadar and Rahela Begum will fly out to China for a 10 day stay as part of a 100-strong British contingent of both disabled and non-disabled young people.

They will join over 100 others from China, Hong Kong and other countries as part of an initiative organised by the British Council.

As part of their amazing trip, the group will be attending the Paralympic opening ceremony, visiting one of the games’ sporting events and taking part in various workshops in things such as dance, music and communications.

It will also be a chance for them to meet with some of the many VIPs and inspirational people that will be attending the Beijing Paralympic Games.

Jamie, Lisa, Jakirul and Rahela have been able to take advantage of this unique opportunity thanks largely to their youth groups - Tower Hamlets Council’s Youth and Community Services, the Tower Project and the Surjamuki Project.

The groups have been assisting the young people during their time on the Young Advocates programme – with the council’s youth and community services team providing financial support for the project. 
 
The young people will have every opportunity to use the skills and experience they will develop during their time in Beijing when they return to Tower Hamlets. Once back in the UK the group will be Paralympic ambassadors for the borough, and have already been earmarked to be involved in the Tower Hamlets Paralympic Handover Day taking place at Mile End Leisure Centre on 17 September.

They will also play a part in the Team GB Paralympics Talent Identification Day being held in October.

Cllr Clair Hawkins, Lead Member for Children’s Services at Tower Hamlets Council said:“The Paralympics is such an inspirational event, and it’s fantastic that young people from Tower Hamlets are getting the chance to visit Beijing and see the action take place first-hand.

“It’s a once in a lifetime trip and the skills and experience they will get from it will be really valuable as we look towards the Olympics and Paralympics taking place here in East London in 2012.”

Jamie, Lisa and Jakirul got in the mood for their visit to Beijing by attending the council’s Olympic Handover event in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets on Sunday 24 August. Along with Rahela, the group head off to China on 3 September.