With just under a year to go to the Paralympic Games, celebrations took place in London and other cities last Thursday on International Paralympic Day and then in London on Saturday with Sainsbury’s Super Saturday.

Disability Table Tennis was at the forefront on both days.

Coach Neil Robinson and players Will Bayley, Jane Campbell, Ashley Facey–Thompson, Sara Head and Dzaier Neil attended the International Paralympic Day which showcased 20 Paralympic sports in Trafalgar Square. BBC News included a picture of Sara and Jane while Will met the Prime Minister David Cameron, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson and the Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius. Will also took part in a 5 Live Radio interview with Boris Johnson.

On Super Saturday there was an event in Clapham Common for a number of Paralympic sports, which saw players demonstrating their skills plus other entertainment.  Will Bayley, Jane Campbell, Sue Gilroy MBE and Ashley Facey-Thompson joined coach Matt Kenny for the fun. Will appeared on Channel 4’s: That Paralympic Show, and participated in a Parlaympian’s versus Olympians race. Then, on the Channel 4 TV coverage of Sainsbury’s Super Saturday, Jane and Sue played with members of the group; Wanted, in a wheelchair match with Will in support

A number of other media opportunities have recently featured GB players and coaches. For example, Gorazd Vecko, Kim Daybell and Dave Wetherill were all on Radio 5 Live recently.

Now all the players move on to the British Open next week.

Mike Smith Secretary BTTAD