Celebrate our local Olympic and Paralympic athletes!

Celebrate our local Olympic and Paralympic athletes!

We have partnered with BCP Council to invite residents and visitors to celebrate the incredible local athletes who participated in the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games at a special event on Monday 28 October.

These inspiring athletes will travel on an open top bus through the BCP area, stopping at some leisure sites along the way. It's not a formal parade, but everyone is welcome to wave them as they go by or join in at the leisure centres.

Five extraordinary athletes will join the event: Bryony Page (Gymnastics Trampoline, gold medallist), Izzy Songhurst (Gymnastics Trampoline), Jack Eyers (Paralympic Canoe, silver medallist), Leo McCrea (Paralympic Swimming, gold medallist), Matt Aldridge (Rowing, bronze medallist).

We are delighted to be providing a specially-designed open top bus for this exciting event. It promises to bring our entire community together in celebration.

Our lead designer for this unique bus, Emma Watts, has a particular reason to be inspired. Her 11-year-old daughter, Pippa, was born with a defect in the bones of her right leg. In 2021 she underwent an amputation below her knee. Despite this, Pippa is thriving. As a keen swimmer for Blandford Flyers, she has already competed in several able-bodied and para galas. And, having experienced the magic of the swimming competition in Paris as a spectator, she is aiming to compete in the LA 2028 Paralympics.

Pippa - along with all our local athletes - are an inspiration to us all, and the Morebus team is very much looking forward to celebrating with them on 28 October.

The celebration kicks off at Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre at 10.15am, where they will meet supporters before boarding the bus to embark on their journey through the area, visiting Kings Park Leisure and Learning Centre at approximately 12.05pm and arriving at Rossmore Leisure Centre at around 1.55pm, where there will be a short closing ceremony to thank the athletes, finishing around 3:05pm. Residents can come along, take pictures or grab autographs from these sporting legends at the BCP Leisure Centres.

This event offers a wonderful opportunity for the community to unite in recognition of the determination, hard work, and passion that led our local talents to compete at the highest level in the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games.