Sir Philip Craven MBE visits Manchester

The Northwest Steering Group for the 2012 Games is pleased to welcome Sir Philip Craven MBE, London 2012 Board Member and President of the International Paralympic Committee, to Manchester on Wednesday, April 9th.

Sir Philip is visiting to meet representatives from the Northwest Steering Group in order to learn about the region’s progress in looking to maximise the benefits from the London 2012 Games.

Sir Philip - visiting exactly 150 days before the start of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games - will also oversee preparations for the Paralympic World Cup and attend the opening ceremony of the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships.

Sir Philip said:
“It gives me great pleasure to visit Manchester to view the preparations for next month’s Paralympic World Cup and meet members of the Northwest Steering Group for the 2012 Games.

“As a Board Member for the London 2012 Organising Committee, I have been offered the chance to work particularly closely with the Northwest region to assist with their preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Today is the beginning of this partnership.”

Andy Worthington, Chair of the Northwest Steering Group for the 2012 Games, said:
“I would like to welcome Sir Philip to the Northwest and look forward to discussing with him the opportunities and legacy surrounding disability sport for the London 2012 Paralympic Games and the Paralympic World Cup here in Manchester.
"These two events offer huge possibilities for the future of disability sport in the Northwest, which we are keen to capitalise upon as part of our work to maximise the legacy from the 2012 Games in the Northwest."

The NWDA is sponsoring both the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships and the Paralympic World Cup and is a key partner within the steering group.

Peter Mearns, Executive Director of Marketing at the NWDA, said:
“I am delighted that Sir Philip is visiting Manchester as a guest of the NWDA and thank him for his support during Manchester’s Year of World Sport, with the city hosting six international sporting events this year.

“It is 150 days until the Beijing Paralympic Games and the fourth time Manchester has hosted the Paralympic World Cup, which demonstrates beyond doubt how successful the city and the region are at hosting major sports events at all levels.

“Major events are hugely important to the region, both in terms of economic value and improving the profile of the Northwest. That is why we are working hard to attract more and more prestigious events to the region.”
The Paralympic World Cup is the only major international competition taking place before the Beijing Paralympic Games and is being staged in Manchester for the fourth year in a row. The event, which takes place in Manchester May 7-11, is sure to see a host of Beijing-bound athletes fine tune their preparations for the Paralympics.

It is expected to generate £1 million in economic benefits for the region.

Leading Paralympic swimmer, Natalie Jones, was also on hand to see the preparations for the Paralympic World Cup. She said:
“I can’t wait to compete in the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester in May. With the selection for Beijing due to be finalised very soon, it will represent a crucial opportunity for all British athletes to fine tune their preparations ahead of the Paralympics. The swimming competition is always an excellent test and it promises to be even more important this year as the countdown to China gathers momentum.

“It is also fantastic that the Paralympic World Cup follows so closely after the World Swimming Championships in Manchester this week – hopefully both events will be a real success and an opportunity for the crowds to watch the best swimmers in the world in action. The Paralympic World Cup is also one of the last chances to see the British swimmers on home soil so hopefully there will be some great support.”

Five times World Swimming Champion and Mancunian, James Hickman, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Sir Philip Craven, on behalf of the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), to Manchester in what is a very exciting year for the city hosting world class sport."
"The World Swimming Championships will be a fantastic event and there are still tickets available - book now to get the best seats at the M.E.N. Arena. I am looking forward to then watching the success of the fourth annual Paralympic World Cup, being hosted again in Manchester, in May."
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Editor’s Notes
• Photographs will be available on request following the event.
• Sir Philip became President of the International Paralympic Committee in 2001 and in 2003 was elected to the International Olympic Committee. He represented Britain at five Paralympic Games from 1972 to 1988 in wheelchair basketball and also competed in swimming events in the 1972 tournament.
• He is on the Board of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and received a knighthood in the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours.
• Four sports - Athletics, Swimming, Track Cycling and Wheelchair Basketball – will feature in the Paralympic World Cup.
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For further information please contact Sam Shale, Press Officer on 01925 400264 or 07717 427872 or sam.shale@nwda.co.uk

For urgent out of hours press enquiries please call 01925 400259.

For further information and to view previous press releases visit us at www.nwda.co.uk

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is responsible for:

• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life

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