Paralympics 2021: Reflecting on it's Buckinghamshire heritage
The pride felt for the Paralympics will be felt across Buckinghamshire; the county which made the games possible
Last updated 24th Aug 2021
The 2021 Paralympics start today, excitement is in the air for the people of Buckinghamshire who treasure the regional heritage that brought the games to light.
Stoke Mandeville Hospital was the birthplace for the movement when Dr. Guttmann set up a Spinal Injuries Centre after World War II.
He hosted the first competition for wheelchair users in 1948 on the same day the Olympic games opened that year.
The area marks the games' local roots for every new Paralympic series by hosting a flame lighting ceremony at Stoke Mandeville Stadium.
The CEO of the National Paralympic Heritage Trust Vicky Hope-Walker said:
"It's an incredibly rich heritage. It's something which in terms of the locality that people should be, and are really proud of."
"This is where it began.
"It began with Dr. Guttmann running the Spinal Injuries Centre, setting it up in preparation for the D-Day landings; more importantly he became a worldwide renowned person in his own right."
"The Paralympics would have never got off the ground without local people's support, fundraising, volunteering... and it's been immense over the years.
"Not only are Paralympians elite sports men and women, it has also kind of run alongside breaking down barriers for disability and the fight for equality."