Ashford Leisure Trust

The world’s greatest athletes could be coming to Ashford, following the announcement that the Stour Centre has been chosen to feature within London’s 2012 Pre-games Training Camp Guide.

The centre, which has been remodelled to offer prestigious sporting and recreational facilities, beat off strong competition to be included in the Guide for National Paralympic Committees (NCP’s).

The Stour Centre’s impressive facilities will be available to some of the world’s top athletes as a training ground for paralympic sports such as five-a-side football, goalball, paralympic table tennis, volleyball (sitting), boccia and wheelchair basketball, fencing and rugby.

It was chosen by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) for its ability to provide a multi-sport venue, proving that its amenities were capable to host and accommodate for disability sports.

Cllr Gerry Clarkson, portfolio holder for cultural services said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Ashford to showcase its new facilities at the Stour Centre to a global audience and for the town to get involved with the biggest sporting event to be hosted in this country.”

Emma Wood, chief executive of Ashford Leisure Trust, which operates the council-owned Stour Centre, said: “We are delighted that the Stour Centre has been recognised as a world class facility to host a pre-games training camp for paralympic sports. We are looking forward to welcoming world-class athletes to Ashford.”