Of course I am interested in the fact that the greatest sporting and cultural events is coming to my manor (I am an adopted East Ender) - I was sort of brought up on stories of the 1948 marathon coming round Apex Corner and my mother watching it and being part of an exhausted nation celebrating hope in the face of austerity.
What really excited me, however, inside as a disabled person was the fact that we have been given a real opportunity to make positive change for generations to come to the lives of disabled and Deaf people. We have been passed on the Paralympic torch and the power and potential to change the inclusion landscape.
We promised the world a Games for everybody. Now every day as I come through Canary Wharf Plaza and clock the clocks counting down the time to the Opening Ceremony, I feel a real part of making this happen.
I have been here in LOCOG for four months now and feel comfortable in two things. Comfortable because I can see around me a real drive and commitment to do the best we possibly can to meet our commitment made in Singapore to make this a Games for everyone.
Comfortable because so far I do not see my identity as a disabled person, a wheelchair user and personal assistance user getting in the way of my work which by the way is to get London geared up to welcoming the greatest number of disabled people to visit the city ever which is no small task.
We have many challenges ahead, much that we need to do and a slowly closing window of opportunity. I'm proud to be helping meet these challenges and I hope many more disabled and Deaf people will join us on this journey.
