All aboard for barge ride to Paralympic Games (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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All aboard for barge ride to Paralympic Games
8:30am Friday 24th August 2012 in News
Peter Bates, Edwina Cooper,Adrian Edwards, Edwina Fogg, David Bruce, Christine Crisp, Roy Wood and Rebecca Bruce at the launch of The Diana barge
Disabled people from the local area set off on Saturday aboard a canal boat bound for the Para-lympic Games in London.
The Bruce Trust, based at Great Bedwyn, has dispatched The Diana, one of its four specially designed wide-beam canal boats, to Olympic Park in east London where the ten people on board will be able to enjoy the games.
The boat set off from Great Bedwyn Wharf on Saturday morning and it was due to arrive as near to the Olympic Stadium as security will allow in time for Wednesday’s opening ceremony.
On board were Christine Crisp, chairman of Wilt-shire Council, and Edwina Fogg, Mayor of Marlbor-ough. The Diana, named for the late Diana, Princess of Wales, is being crewed by members of various Rotary clubs.
David Bruce, founder of the Bruce Trust, said: “This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not only to attend the Paralympics but to stay on one our special boats in a unique location.
“The Diana is fully equipped and accessible for disabled visitors and we are only a few minutes wheelchair ride from the main Olympic Stadium.”
