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03/05/2022 - Dame Laura Kenny today visited Lee Valley VeloPark – the site of her double gold medal win in 2012 and the venue she launched to the public in 2014 – as the 10th anniversary of the start of her amazing medal-winning and record-breaking haul approaches. She was joined by Paralympians Neil Fachie MBE and Lora Fachie MBE and local children from Mossbourne Riverside Academy, Hackney, born in the London Olympic year, 2012. 

Dame Laura officially opened the exhibition which showcases London’s Olympic legacy and the achievements of the last decade. It is a chance to relive those amazing weeks, see the medals and torches, learn about the Paralympic story and understand the transformation of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park since the Games. 

It is a partnership between Lee Valley Regional Park Authority – who own the venue – the London Legacy Development Corporation and the National Paralympic Heritage Trust. 

Dame Laura Kenny, six-time Olympic medal-winning cyclist, said: 

“London 2102 was a life-changing experience for me and it’s amazing to be back at Lee Valley VeloPark . This exhibition is about bringing back those wonderful memories. Crossing the finish line changed my life in a way I could never have imagined. London 2012 was special because it grabbed the attention of young people. I am proud to be a small part of the exhibition which I hope will inspire the next generation.” 

Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, which has been instrumental in delivering the sporting legacy from the Games, said:  

“It is fantastic to welcome Laura, Neil and Lora back to Lee Valley VeloPark. The exhibition is about bringing back the memories and the magic from 2012 and reflecting on the legacy of the past decade. More than 6.5m people have visited Lee Valley VeloPark for a range of activities and programmes, along with many international events, or just to see one of the most beautiful sports venues in the world. We have a world-class legacy venue for beginners, intermediates, elite cyclists and Olympians and Paralympians.”  

Lyn Garner, Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said:

“This exhibition takes you on a journey from that wonderful summer of sport in 2012 through to the fantastic achievements since then and it is great to be welcoming Laura, Neil and Lora back to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is fantastic to see that people have such fond memories of 2012 but also appreciate the legacy that has been, and continues to be, created here in east London.” 

Vicky Hope-Walker, Chief Executive of the National Paralympic Heritage Trust, said:

“It is exciting to be in the park this year celebrating the British Paralympic Movement 10 years on. We were of course born out of the London 2012 Games and the recognition of the need to care for the early collections of national and international significance. As we come near to the end of a six-year project supported substantially by the National Lottery Heritage Fund it is a fitting celebration of our own achievements as well as an opportunity to plan our next five years and what permanent legacy might develop from this event.”

NOTES TO EDITORS 

The exhibition highlights the sporting, economic and wellbeing opportunities generated by the Games, the journey of the Paralympics movement and the remarkable changes to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 

Visitors can take a selfie with the much-loved London 2012 Mascot, Wenlock, relive the glory of Team GB and ParalympicsGB triumphs, see medals, the Olympic and Paralympic torches and part of the Olympic cauldron. 

Also on show will be one of the jackets worn at the Paralympics Opening Ceremony, decorated with printed text from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and conceptual models for the opening of the Paralympic Games.

The exhibition takes visitors on a journey from that wonderful summer of sport in 2012 through all the extraordinary achievements since then, and focuses on what is to come in terms or sport, housing, jobs and opportunities for communities. It overlooks the track at Lee Valley VeloPark track where, in 2012, Great Britain dominated, winning more medals in track cycling than any other country.

Lee Valley VeloPark will make history this summer when it hosts the Commonwealth Games’ track cycling events, making it the only venue in the world to have hosted an Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games in the same sport.

The new exhibition has been organised by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, the London Legacy Development Corporation and the National Paralympic Heritage Trust, all having played major roles in the success of the Games’ legacy.

The exhibition was designed by leading exhibition designers, Mather & Co.

About Lee Valley Regional Park Authority

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is a statutory body with a remit for sport, leisure, conservation and open spaces through the 26-mile-long Lee Valley Regional Park, which follows the River Lee from the Thames, through east and north London to Essex and Hertfordshire.

Founded by a unique Act of Parliament, we are central to the region’s sport, leisure and green space networks, and have more than 50 years’ experience of developing and running world class sports venues and creating award winning parklands.

Today the park’s 10,000 acres comprise a diverse mix of heritage sites, nature reserves and green spaces, including eight Sites of Special Scientific Interest, alongside sports venues, farms, campsites, marinas and gardens attracting 10 million visits a year.

We own three London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues: Lee Valley VeloPark and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Lee Valley White Water Centre in Hertfordshire.

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About London Legacy Development Corporation

The foundations for London 2012 were built solidly on legacy. Now, a decade on, we can see the success of that in and around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and look forward to so much more in the future.  Spread across 560 acres of stunning parklands, the Park is home to beautifully landscaped gardens, historic waterways, famous sporting venues, a vibrant arts and events programme and the ArcelorMittal Orbit visitor attraction.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park doesn’t just welcome over six million visitors a year. It provides quality family neighbourhoods which are home to hundreds of people, jobs have been created and a talented local community benefits from education, training and opportunity.

It is a location for cutting-edge businesses large and small – collaborating, creating, making and innovating. World-class venues host top level sport and entertainment but remain open to all. Hundreds of acres of parklands and natural habitats provide freedom and space.

The evolution continues, and the next 10 years will be as exciting as the last. At the centre of this is East Bank, housing Sadler’s Wells, BBC, V&A East, UAL’s London College of Fashion and UCL East, the most ambitious cultural and education district in a generation, arriving in the heart of the Park.

The London Legacy Development Corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding area by maximising the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

About the National Paralympic Heritage Trust

The National Paralympic Heritage Trust (NPHT) has been established ‘to enlighten and inspire future generations by celebrating, cherishing and bringing the Paralympic heritage and its stories of human endeavour to life’. The heritage tells the history of a remarkable movement beginning with the arrival of Dr Guttmann as a Jewish refugee from Germany in 1939 and his appointment to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 1943 when he introduced sport for the rehabilitation of servicemen with spinal cord injuries. He revolutionised their treatment and it is a journey that has had profound effects on the lives of many disabled people and their families. It has led the way in changing attitudes towards disabled people and influenced the development of new medical, scientific and engineering technologies. It is a tale still unfolding with further significant developments during and since the success of London 2012.

The four founding members of the National Paralympic Heritage Trust are the British Paralympic Association, WheelPower – British Wheelchair Sport, and Buckinghamshire Council. Contributing partners include the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, the National Spinal Injuries Centre, Discover Bucks Museum Trust and the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies.

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