Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park will host a celebratory dinner featuring a line-up of sporting superstars to mark the 10th anniversary of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The wide contribution that Sheffield made to the success of London 2012, and the unique legacy being delivered in the city, will be marked at the special celebration on Friday 9 September, hosted by Sheffield’s own Paul Walker, sports commentator for both TV and radio.
Olympians and Paralympians from 2012, 2016 and 2020 made and trained in Sheffield have been invited to the gala dinner taking place in the centre of the indoor athletics arena at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield.
Up to a thousand guests are expected to attend the event, to celebrate Sheffield’s contribution to London 2012 and the legacy being delivered in the city through transformational economic, health, sporting and environmental change.
That change is being driven and delivered by Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, spearheaded by Legacy Park Ltd Chair and former Sports Minister Richard Caborn, who was a key figure in the London 2012 bid.
Richard said: “After the closing ceremony of the Paralympics on 9 September 2012, Sheffield picked up the baton to become the world’s only Olympic legacy site outside a host city anywhere in the world.
“As well as being home to a host of top athletes and professional sportsmen and women – if Sheffield was a country we would have finished 14th at the 2012 Games – the Park is uniquely delivering a real levelling-up legacy to the whole population.
“A strong public-private sector partnership has delivered the first £100m development phase which has created an unrivalled cluster of life sciences assets.
“And as we mark the 10th anniversary of London 2012 we have now embarked on the next £200m-plus development phase which will ensure a real sporting, educational, health, economic, education and skills legacy for generations to come.”
That next phase of the Park is being delivered by development partner Scarborough Group International (SGI) who are also the headline sponsor of the dinner.
Kevin McCabe, Chairman at SGI, commented: “While Scarborough Group International is very much at the start of its journey at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, it’s important we take the time to reflect on why the vision was established in the first place, particularly as we reach the 10 year anniversary of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“We undoubtedly already have some of the best sporting facilities in the UK at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park but, over the coming years we will create a world-leading ecosystem to support research and innovation in the health, wellbeing, sports and activity sectors that will benefit the whole of society for generations to come.
“We’re delighted to support this magnificent event and look forward to celebrating the fantastic achievements this place and this city has helped to facilitate and those yet to come.”
The evening will also be a major fundraiser for Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity’s £6m Helipad Appeal and will feature a live auction, sponsored by Westfield Health and hosted by well-known Sheffield auctioneer Lucy Crapper, Director of Residential Sales at ASG Estates.
Tchad Western, Chief Fun Officer at The Children’s Hospital Charity said: “We are really excited to be celebrating Sheffield’s outstanding contribution to the Olympics and Paralympics at the upcoming Olympic Legacy in Action gala dinner, which promises to be a fantastic event not to be missed!
“We are truly honoured that the event will also be supporting Sheffield Children’s Hospital, which plays such an important part in the health and wellbeing of children not only in our city but across the wider region and the country too.”
Alongside renowned sporting names from the last decade, some of the key names behind the successful London 2012 bid are expected to attend the dinner. These include Sir Keith Mills, Chair of the Bid Team, and Lord Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee for the Games and current President of World Athletics.
Tables of 10 cost £1,500 + VAT for a Standard table and £2,500 + VAT for a Legacy table, which includes a contribution to the 10th Anniversary Legacy Fund – a grant fund being launched later this year to support the health and wellbeing of the local community.
Bookings can be made by emailing info@olympiclegacypark.co.uk or calling 0114 261 9604
Further sponsorship opportunities are also available, and enquiries are welcomed from organisations interested in supporting the event.