by Hayley Robinson

hrobinson@thekmgroup.co.uk

Medway has signed its first training camp agreement with an Olympic or Paralympic nation ahead of London 2012.

The Paralympic Association of Barbados has signed a memorandum of understanding with the council and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).

The document is a statement of intent that the Barbados team will train at Medway Park ahead of the Paralympic Games and that Medway and the south east will support the association in developing disability sports coaching and expertise.

Medway is the first local authority in the region to sign such an agreement with an Olympic or Paralympic committee.

Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said: "We are delighted that the Paralympic Association of Barbados are the first team to enter into a training camp agreement with Medway.

"We have a huge amount to offer international teams and Medway Park will be a first-class facility for the Barbados team’s preparations for the 2012 Games.

"We very much look forward to working together in a spirit of sporting cooperation over the next three years and beyond."

Barbados is a developing Paralympic nation and hopes to bring a small team of athletes and swimmers to the 2012 Games.

It is also keen to develop the blind sport of goalball and to access coaching and sports science expertise.

Discussions with the Paralympic Association began in Beijing during the 2008 Paralympic Games.

Association President and Secretary, Wesley and Maureen Worrell subsequently visited Medway on Monday, 27 April to view the training and support facilities on offer.

Mr Worrell said: "It was a pleasure to visit Medway and see all the progress and expectations that are planned and it was so inspiring to see the team's excitement.

"We were very pleased to sign the memorandum of understanding because we can see future growth between the two countries and hopefully beyond 2012."

Barbados is the third country to decide to sign an agreement with the south east region.

The other two countries, the Colombian Paralympic Committee and Malawi Olympic Committee, are yet to decide where they will base themselves.

SEEDA is coordinating efforts to ensure strong bonds are forged in the fields of business, trade, tourism, schools, universities, culture and sport through pre-Games training camps.

Padraig Herlihy, SEEDA's South East co-ordinator for the 2012 Games, said: "Pre-Games training camps offer the prospect of a huge range of links between communities in the south east, such as Medway, and countries around the world.

"Medway’s preparations to welcome countries to train for the 2012 Games have been excellent.

"It is therefore appropriate that they are the first community in the region to sign a memorandum of understanding with a particular country.

He added: "I am sure that a number of other countries will soon follow the lead provided by Barbados and sign up with Medway."