With Paralympics Gold Medallist Helene Raynsford leading the way, this year’s Wokingham Borough Community Conference will be a showcase for the exciting and innovative ways Wokingham borough will be ‘Living the Legacy’ during this Olympic year and beyond.

This year's conference, ‘Inspire Wokingham Borough: Living the Legacy’ will take place in the appropriate surroundings of Loddon Valley Leisure Centre and will focus on how the borough can capture the Olympic spirit to bring long-term benefits to residents.

The conference will hear an inspiring presentation by Helene Raynsford, who won a rowing Gold Medal at the Beijing Paralympics and is now Wokingham Borough Public Health Lead. There will also be a chance to have a go at wheelchair basketball and Zumba and a demonstration from an indoor bowls group by residents of Rainbow Park in Winnersh. 

Cllr Simon Weeks, chairman of the Wokingham Borough Strategic Partnership, which is organising the conference, said: "It feels right to theme our Community Conference around the Olympic legacy this year. The London Olympics will generate a huge amount of excitement and interest and we want to ensure the positive energy that comes from it is harnessed to bring long-term benefits in the borough. Taking part in sporting, leisure or cultural activities brings huge benefits to people and to communities in general - and that is just as true whether you are an aspiring Usain Bolt or an octogenarian picking up an artist’s paint brush for the first time in decades."

As with last year, this year’s conference will include a showcase session featuring displays from local young people, community and voluntary groups, town, parish and borough councils and health and emergency services. 

There will also be presentations from Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership chairman Steve Lamb and Borough Council Leader Cllr David Lee and interim Chief Executive Andy Couldrick who will be explaining the borough council’s new Vision and Priorities.

Cllr Weeks added: "A theme that runs through the Olympics is being the best you can and that’s why we’ve welcomed the opportunity to hear from leaders of the Local Enterprise Partnership and the Borough Council - because their job is about making sure the borough is the best it can be and that it is fit and healthy for the future." 

There will a strong representation from young people at this year's conference, with students from The Forest School helping with marshalling and students from St Crispin's School assisting with the audio-visual set-up for the event. There will also be artwork from young people on display at the venue and a presentation from consultant David Cook on inspiring young people and the business, skills and enterprise agenda. 

As well as all this, the conference will see the unveiling of Wokingham’s Tree of Inspiration - a community art installation commissioned by The Cultural Partnership and produced by local artist Jane Tadrist working with community groups. 

Also being launched at the event is a "Growing for Gold" competition for local gardeners designed to make Wokingham Borough look beautiful throughout the summer months. 

The conference will be on from 9am to 2pm on Friday March 9 and anybody interested in attending should contact Wokingham Borough Council Partnership Development Manager Sue Roberts on (0118) 974 6016 or email: sue.roberts@wokingham.gov.uk by Friday March 2.