Volunteers out in force again as London welcomes the world's Paralympians
Heathrow set for another busy day as 2,500 athletes move in to Olympic Village
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Here we go again. With a week until the Paralympic Opening Ceremony, Heathrow is expecting another busy day, with 2,500 athletes and officials expected to check in to the athletes' village, finally free of cavorting medallists from the Olympic half of the summer.
"Today will be more about complexity," said a Heathrow airport spokesman. "We are expecting a very high number of passengers with reduced mobility and visual impairment, but our staff and volunteers have been specially trained, which will help us in the future."
Scores of Great Britain's Paralympic team members, including shooters, archers and footballers, are training at the ParalympicsGB Preparation Camp at the University of Bath's £30m Sports Training Village.
Single sculler Tom Aggar was one of many TeamGB rowers who met for training yesterday at the Redgrave/Pinsent rowing lake near Caversham. He will be looking to defend the Olympic title he won in Beijing. Samantha Scowen will compete in the mixed adaptive double sculls. It is her first Olympics.
Specialist workshops, which have been set up in the athletes' village and at all the Paralympic competition venues, open today, manned by an international team of 80 prosthetists, orthotists and wheelchair technicians. Twelve welders are also on hand, whose job it will be to repair damage to wheelchair frames, a common occurrence in wheelchair rugby and basketball.
On Saturday, Eurostar trains, specially modified to carry more wheelchair passengers, will bring French and Belgian teams to St Pancras International.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments