May 19 saw the launch of the London 2012 mascots Wenlock and Mandeville and as you can imagine with our own history so involved in the Stoke Mandeville heritage we were delighted that the London 2012 organising committee had chosen to highlight the Stoke Mandeville Games legacy.

 The story created by former childrens laureate Michael Morpurgo tells how Mandeville and Wenlock were created from the last drops of steel left from the construction of the final support girder for the Olympic Stadium.

 Earlier during the day the mascots were launched with the first screening of the animated story to around 100 children at a school in Tower Hamlets, London. With a later event held at Stoke Mandeville Stadium where the mascots were revealed to a very proud audience, including Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson and Chris Holmes, LOCOG director of Paralympic Integration.

 As key members of the London 2012’s ‘Get Set’ the mascots will travel around the UK meeting all sorts of people, and for Mandeville he will spend his time learning about all the Paralympic sports. With his one eye, which is actually a camera (inspired by the iconic black cabs of London) he will record and share his learning with everyone on his own very own website.  

 Wenlock and Mandeville were designed by London creative agency Iris, following an intensive selection process that included UK wide focus groups of young people, families and industry experts. London 2012 officials claim that the selected pair were the overwhelming choice.

 The idea of official mascots for the Olympic Games dates back to 1972 when Waldi was the mascot for Munich and it is a concept that has continued to grow of which we have evidence of due to the many mascots we have at IWAS Head Office from all the events we have we have visited during the growth of the Paralympic Games – we cant wait to add Mandeville to the collection.

Quote from Maura Strange, Secretary General/Executive Director International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS), founder organisation of the original International Stoke Mandeville Games and the Paralympic movement.

“IWAS feels it is a great honour that London 2012 has recognised the international initiative undertaken at Stoke Mandeville in 1952 and progressed under the governance of IWAS from 1960 (first Paralympic Games) through the 60’s and early 70’s and with partners up until 1993 when the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) took over governance of the Paralympic Games, and name one of their Mascots “Mandeville”.

The creation of the Stoke Mandeville movement was formed by a triumvirate – the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, the International Stoke Mandeville Games/Sports Federation (now known as IWAS) and British Wheelchair Sports. This infusion stimulated growth and awareness in a myriad of areas, non more so than the international arena, a mission continued to this day by IWAS and its work in the Paralympic movement. Not only can Britain be proud of its successes at National level through the work of Wheelpower (British Wheelchair Sports) and the highly reknowned Stoke Mandeville Paraplegic Centre, but also and, in this instance, the efforts of the International (Paralympic) movement that grew out of it.

Thank you 2012 for your homage to the beginning of the Paralympic Games here in Stoke Mandeville, where IWAS still continues its original objectives on behalf of athletes with a disability world-wide within the Paralympic (international) movement.”

 

To learn more about Mandeville and what he’s been up to visit him at his website – click here.