The reach of London 2012, I discovered, goes a very long way and has a profound effect. In the run up to our own Diversity Week I was asked by the British Council to be part of a week promoting inclusion in Albania. I spent four days learning it means to go beyond your personal best.

Albania has very recently enacted new anti-discrimination legislation. The week put a spotlight on the inclusion of disabled people in the life of the country. It focused around a series of debates and major performances by the amazing British contemporary dance company Stopgap. 

I was a little nervous of taking one Thursday of the 125 remaining before London 2012 to be part of the activities. My involvement included speaking at three events; talking to national television and print media; showing films to the Director of the Human Rights Film Festival; and spending a day of back-to-back meetings at the British Embassy with government ministers and people influential in sport and culture. It reinforced to me how powerful the spirit of the Games is. 

With Albanian Director of Equal Opportunities Ana Xheka:

There are very few places in the capital Tirana that are accessible to disabled people - making diversity and inclusion a challenge beyond anything I have seen. However, disabled people are actively working to change this and are looking to London 2012 as a guiding light.

A few instances that this became clear on my trip stand out.

I was met at Tirana airport by a converted van driven by Sokol, a wheelchair user and aspiring Paralympian table tennis player (a welcome which we will need to emulate).

Sokol had an accident leaving him with spinal cord injury 13 years ago. He lost his job and his driving licence and his family because he was now a disabled person. But slowly he has rebuilt his life. He goes beyond his personal best every day and every day is a fight and a struggle.

He told me of his passion to set up a rehabilitation and sporting centre to help the hundreds of Albanians who acquire similar injuries every year. His dream is to be part of the Paralympic Games in London. And it is not one of those faraway wistful-type dreams. He will - I am certain - get into his adapted vehicle and drive all the way. 

On a much larger scale, on the day the Albanian football team played Northern Ireland in the national stadium - with no access for disabled people - a nation fuelled by love of football took time to think about inclusion. A mesmeric performance by Stopgap at the Academy of Art in Tirana was shown live on national television. The theatre was simply heaving in a way reminiscent of the premiere of an Oscar-winning film. 

For the first time disabled people were able to get into the theatre. As part of the week, as part of our presence, colourfully painted wooden ramps in keeping with the city of colours has been created. The same happened at the theatre in Durres. A small legacy, but as important as any I am working towards.

The journey to inclusion for disabled people in Albania has just begun. London 2012 has a good chance of being the first Games to host an Albanian Paralympic team. It will be small and could only be the one Albanian cyclist who is based in Italy. However, it will create a legacy and perhaps one Thursday and some personal best may have helped.