Paralympic Handover
Wednesday 17 September
1-4pm
Hackney Town Hall Square, Mare Street
FREE

Hackney will mark the moment London takes up the Paralympic flag with free celebrations in Hackney Town Hall.

Wednesday 17 September marks the moment London becomes the official host city for the 2012 Paralympic Games, with Hackney hosting one third of the Olympic Park site.

Hackney Town Hall Square will be an action packed zone with award winning disability culture and sports acts, and information stalls run by disability groups and the Council.

The event will be opened at 1pm by the Mayor of Hackney Jules Pipe and former Paralympic swimmer Giles Long.

Residents are invited to join the celebrations in the Town Hall Square, which will include:
•Hoop La La – hula hoop performers who trained at Circus Space in Hoxton and were semi-finalists on Britain’s Got Talent
•Jun Mo – Hackney-based costume parading band
•Wheelchair badminton
•Wheelchair basketball
•Wheelchair line dancing – from the Graeae theatre company
•Positive Mental Attitude Football
•Boccia – a Paralympic sport similar to Boules
•Music with steel pans and drumming
•Stalls providing advice and guidance on disability issues from local groups
•Information from the Council’s 2012 Unit

See the Paralympic Handover moment from Beijing to London broadcast live on a big screen in the Town Hall Square at around 2.30pm.

Jules Pipe, elected Mayor of Hackney, said: “With almost one third of the Olympic Park site in Hackney, we’re at the heart of where the Games will happen in four years. We’ve already celebrated Olympic Handover and now it’s time for everyone to welcome Paralympic Handover. Our events will provide fun, entertainment and a chance to learn more about disability sports and culture.”