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Stoke Mandeville Sports Stadium for the Disabled
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Rare home movie capturing sporting action in 1967 at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, birthplace of the Paralympics.
Home movie of sporting activity at the International Stoke Mandeville Games in 1967, captured on Super 8 colour film by Maureen Jones of Norwich. Thought to be the birthplace of the Paralympics, the Stoke Mandeville Sports Stadium hosted a yearly international sporting competition for wheelchair users. Mrs Jones' amateur footage shows wheelchair athletes competing in a range of sports disciplines including archery and javelin.
Forerunner to the Paralympics, the Stoke Mandeville Games evolved from its beginnings as rehabilitation for British World War II veteran patients in 1948, thanks to the pioneering spirit of the then Director of the Spinal Cord Injuries Unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Sir Ludwig Guttman. Neurologist Guttman offered an holistic approach to treating patients, encouraging participation in sport not only to help develop a patient's muscles but to also enhance psychological well-being.