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‘Inspired’ course awarded certificate
27 August 2010
A course being piloted in Bath that could make visiting the city
easier for people with disabilities has been awarded the Inspire
mark by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and
Paralympic Games (LOCOG).
The ground-breaking course – Accessing New Business – has been
inspired by the University of Bath’s contract to act as a pre-Games
training camp for the ParalympicGB team.
So it was fitting that Chris Holmes, Director of Paralympic
Integration at LOCOG, should present an Inspire mark certificate to
Accessing New Business during a visit to the ParalympicGB team at
their summer training camp yesterday.
His visit was part of a two-week tour of the UK marking the
two-year countdown to the Paralympic Games which start on 29 August
2012.
Chris said: “Delivering highly accessible Games with world-class
facilities for disabled people was a fundamental part of London’s
bid to host the 2012 Games.
“This project will leave a positive legacy as a result of 2012,
with businesses in Bath more aware of disability issues and
consequently taking practical steps to make themselves more
accessible to all of society.”
The course consists of a series of workshops aimed at helping
businesses provide information, facilities and services for
visitors in ways that are more accessible for people who have
difficulty with mobility, sight, hearing and learning.
The brainchild of the South West RDA (Regional Development
Agency) and South West Tourism, the course involves a range of
businesses across the city. Workshops focus on improving
accessibility in marketing information and communication, customer
service, and facilities and services.
“If this pilot is successful, it is hoped to roll this project
out across the South West,” said Robin Bischert. Chief Executive of
Bath Tourism Plus, which is delivering the course.
“Improving the accessibility of the tourism destinations within
the region makes good business sense because 11 per cent of all
overnight domestic trips in England in 2009 were made by visitors
with access needs, or those accompanying someone who had access
needs.
“This amounts to 11.3 million trips, contributing almost £2bn to
the economy last year, with a quarter of these visitors travelling
to the South West.”
Chris Holmes’s visit was organised by Team South West, the
partnership of regional organisations led by the South West RDA,
which aims to maximise the business, sporting, cultural and social
opportunities of the Games to deliver a lasting legacy for South
West England.
Ends
For further information, please contact Pat Murray, South West
RDA communications, on 07733264756 or Lucy Weaver, Bath Tourism
Plus communications, on 01225 477441 or email: lucy_weaver@bathtourism.co.uk
Notes to editors
Chris Holmes, Director of Paralympic Integration
Chris Holmes joined LOCOG in August 2009 as Director of
Paralympic Integration. He is responsible for the delivery of the
Paralympic strategy across LOCOG, ensuring that all the planning
and delivery for the Games is firmly embedded in the appropriate
functional areas across the business. Quite simply, his role is to
lead on all things Paralympic.
Chris is Britain’s most successful individual Paralympic swimmer
ever. Despite losing his sight overnight aged only 14, Chris gained
straight A’s at A-level and a place at Cambridge University to read
politics. While still at University Chris won six gold medals at
the Barcelona Games in 1992, a feat never equalled by any Briton.
He went on to compete in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000 winning
a further three gold medals. Chris also won a string of World and
European titles and broke 35 World Records.
Chris was awarded the MBE for services to British sport aged
20.
Alongside his sporting career, he has been a Board member at UK
Sport since 2005 and was a Commissioner on the board of the
Disability Rights Commission from 2002-2007, as well as practising
at a leading City international law firm.
He is also a Patron of the ‘Help for Heroes’ charity and the
British Paralympic Association.
About Bath Tourism Plus
Working with the public and private sectors, Bath’s destination
marketing organisation, Bath Tourism Plus, takes full
responsibility for managing the busiest Tourist Information Centre
in the UK, with 535,000 visitors annually, marketing Bath and the
surrounding area to leisure and business travellers, PR activity to
attract top travel writers - generating £1.7m of coverage a year -
and development of official tourism website, which receives just
under 2 million visits annually - www.visitbath.co.uk. Bath Tourism
Plus also has 450 commercial members with an annual retention rate
of 98% and manages a conference, meeting and incentive travel
website: www.bathconference.co.uk.
About South West RDA
South West RDA is the regional development agency for South West
England. We are one of eight RDAs set up by government in 1999 to
improve the economic performance of the English regions. We lead
the development of a sustainable economy in South West England,
investing in jobs, supporting businesses, improving places and
creating the conditions for business to prosper. The South West is
the largest of England’s regions in land area, with a population
larger than Scotland. The South West’s economic strengths include
aerospace, information technology, creative industries, tourism
and, increasingly, environmental technologies – all contributing
towards a regional economy worth approximately £98 billion per
annum (on 2008 data)and driven by over 200,000 businesses.
About the London 2012 Inspire programme:
An Olympic and Paralympic first, the London 2012 Inspire
programme officially recognises outstanding non-commercial projects
and events inspired by the Games.
The Inspire programme is run by the London Organising Committee
of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is an opportunity for
everyone to be part of the London 2012 Games – a broad
participating programme spanning sport participation, education,
sustainability, volunteering and business opportunities and skills.
New opportunities are being created to inspire young people and
encourage the whole of the UK to join in.
For more details visit: www.london2012.com/beinspired