MAY 29 - REGIONS, cities, towns and facilities across the UK were today celebrating at being included in the London 2012 Paralympic Pre-Games Training Guide, including Chelmsford (pictured).
Chelmsford was one of six sites in Essex included in the guide.
The proposed sporting village in Basildon and the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre along with Colchester and Harlow were also chosen.
All the potential venues will be published in a guide to be launched at this summer's Beijing games.
Katie Huane, regional project manager for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, said: "This is fantastic news for Essex to have six venues included in the guide.
"These wonderful facilities will help us achieve our vision to create a powerful legacy which has a positive impact on every person in the county.
"The kudos of having any international team come and base themselves in a facility is fantastic.
"It really celebrates the facilities we have.
"I think it's really important for Essex.
"The fact we're so close to the Olympic site is great and significant. It allows teams to put us in context as we're just a stone's throw away."
Essex sites make up the bulk of the ten potential venues in the East of England, with the four remaining sites based in Bedfordshire, Norfolk and Hertfordshire.
Anne Wafula-Strike, a Harlow-based paralympian wheelchair racer, was also at the event in Chelmsford (pictured).
She said: "As an athlete, it's very important we have high quality facilities where we can go and train. I'm so proud to be supported and to be here today."
Ed Sweeny, from Corby Swimming Club, said the inclusion of the new pool, which is still being built, showed that London 2012 were confident it would be one of the best in the country.
He said: "The fact Olympians will be coming here is a great opportunity for the town to up its profile.
"It's very much conceptual at the moment but it should be a fantastic venue.
"The fact it is just one hour from London would make it an ideal base for the teams."
In Scotland, Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said he was pleased that a large number of the facilities there which had applied to host training camps had made it into the Paralympic guide.
He said: “Paralympic athletes from all over the world will receive a warm welcome when they visit Scotland – we have great facilities, friendly people and world-class scenery.
Aberdeen Council Leader Kate Dean said there would a knock on economic benefit through accommodation, shopping, eating out and use of taxis.
The Lib Dem councillor said the authority would do its upmost to persuade countries such as Norway and the United States to base teams in Aberdeen.
She said: “This is good news and we will be doing our best to attract teams here.
“This goes along with our strategy of trying to encourage people to come to use the city for one purpose and give them a feel for other attractions.
“Getting people to come to Aberdeen for the first time is always the difficult part but once they have been they are happy to come back.”
Howard Doe, Medway Council's community services chief, welcomed the inclusion of Medway Park in Gillingham, which is currently undergoing a £11 million redevelopment.
He said: “This is great news for Medway and for the Council’s mission to make the most of the 2012 Games in London.
"The approval from the organising committee indicates that we are well on the way to creating the high-class sporting facilities the people of Medway deserve.”
Stewart Kellett, the regional director for Sport England North West, was pleased that eight facilities in Manchester had been chosen.
He said: “It’s a fantastic tribute to the region that these venues have been included on such an elite list and it highlights the standard and quality of facilities available to our local communities.
"The North West has some of the most advanced training facilities in the country and we’ve already had enquiries from some of the strongest Paralympic nations in the world who would potentially like to use our facilities.
"Such recognition provides fantastic inspiration and a once in a lifetime opportunity for people of the North West to train alongside elite athletes.”
