Parallel London is thrilled to announce three sponsors joining the trailblazing event in championing inclusivity and accessibility: Barclays, Gatwick Airport and Irwin Mitchell. The world’s first disability-led push/run takes place at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 4 September, exactly four years on from the 2012 Paralympics.
Parallel London is thrilled to announce three sponsors joining the trailblazing event in championing inclusivity and accessibility: Barclays, Gatwick Airport and Irwin Mitchell. The world’s first disability-led push/run takes place at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 4 September, exactly four years on from the 2012 Paralympics.
A national celebration of diversity, the push/run will form the centrepiece to a wider family festival the weekend before the opening of the Rio Paralympics. The festival will showcase the best in accessible attractions shifting perceptions and bulldozing barriers across technology, culture, children’s entertainment, health and fitness and more.
“Our ambition is to make Parallel London one of the most celebrated and innovative events in the UK, which can also play a significant role in removing barriers in our society,” says Parallel London founder Andrew Douglass. “I couldn’t wish for three more dedicated and dynamic partners who not only share our ambition, but also our passion to move inclusivity from the margins into the mainstream.”
Leading the way in diversity and inclusion, Barclays aims to be the most accessible and inclusive company in the FTSE 100. It recently launched a web portal to share its own and other organisations’ insights and resources on accessibility to inspire a real sea change in best practices across all sectors. Barclays is Parallel London’s headline sponsor for the festival’s Technology Zone.
“It’s so energising to work with such a great team who share our commitment to empowering people with disabilities,” says Elaine Draper, director of accessibility and inclusion at Barclays. “We are delighted to sponsor the Technology Zone as we are passionate about harnessing digital technology to eliminate historic barriers to accessibility. The zone will showcase the latest in accessible gadgetry and tech, including our very own Eagle Lab ‘maker space’ providing an opportunity for everyone to discover the fun and creativity of 3D printing.”
Gatwick Airport joins Parallel London as a supporting partner to underline its commitment to becoming one of the world’s most accessible airports. It has introduced a number of best practices aimed at raising the service standards for travellers who need more assistance, including giving 80 per cent of its front line staff Dementia Champions and Dementia Friends training and introducing its own NVQ Level 2 Certificate in dementia care.
“Gatwick Airport is proud to be an inaugural partner of Parallel London, an event which promises to be an inspiring celebration of equality, accessibility and inclusion. We wish all those involved a fantastic day and look forward to welcoming many of the participants to Gatwick in the near future,” says Melanie Wrightson, Community Engagement Manager
International law firm Irwin Mitchell also joins Parallel as a supporting partner. A passionate advocate of the benefits of sport in helping people recover from serious injuries, it launched a ‘Don’t Quit, Do It’ campaign last year to inspire people to get involved in sport.
Alison Eddy, Regional Managing Partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: “We’ve seen on a regular basis the benefits that sport can have both physically in our clients’ rehabilitation and in boosting their motivation and morale, often when struggling to come to terms with their life-changing circumstances. We hope that Parallel London will inspire people to explore how they may be able to benefit from using sport as a way of improving their mental and physical wellbeing to boost their quality of life.”
Parallel London is keen to hear from pioneering organisations who share our passion for promoting inclusivity and diversity. There are many ways to support this ground-breaking event, including sponsorship and colleague engagement packages.
To find out more visit parallellondon.com @parallellondon or email contact@parallellondon.com
