London celebrates Olympic and Paralympic Handover!

On Sunday 24th August the world's attention turned to London as the Mayor of Beijing handed the Olympic flag to the Mayor of London and our capital officially became the Host City.

Whilst an estimated 1.5 billion television viewers watched around the world, many London residents were out and about across the city, celebrating at events organised by their local council.

From a full-costume 1948 street party in Hackney, to an Olympic-themed float at Carnival's Children's Day parade in Kensington and Chelsea, a flag raising event on the Jubilant on the Thames in Richmond, the creation of a 'Olympic Garden' of flags made by local residents in Lewisham to Young Olympic Ambassadors raising the flag at Havering Town Show - boroughs ensuredthat their communities could get involved and that it really was 'Everyone's 2012'

And on Wednesday 17th September, many were out in their communities celebrating Paralympic Handover. For example, Southwark hosted a Paralympic spectacle as part of Boundless - a ten day celebration of disability arts, sports and culture.

And in Waltham Forest, a day long Paralympic celebration included performances by Richard Blackwood and HeartnSoul amongst others.

Handover was just the stary of the many ways that boroughs are working to ensure that their residents can get the best from London hosting the next Olympic and Paralympic Games.

London boroughs will play a vital role in London 2012, both in planning and preparations, delivering the Games themselves and most importantly, in achieving a lasting legacy for London and all its communities long after the 2012 Games have finished.

From business support to tourism to volunteering to sports participation to new jobs and skills to culture - the London boroughs are ensuring that the fantastic once-in-a-lifetime opportunities offer by London hosting the Games are spread across the capital.

Take a look at our Gallery of how the boroughs celebrated handover in our Photo Gallery

Find out about boroughs plans for 2012 through our interactive map

Find out how boroughs celebrated Handover below.

Barking & Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham celebrated the Olympic Handover with a 'Walk in the Park' event at Mayesbrook Park which culminated in a flag raising event at the Town Hall at the handover moment.

The Paralympic Handover will be celebrated with events in schools and an exhibition in Barking Gallery of work by disabled artists.

Bexley

Bexley celebrated the Olympic Handover with a flag-raising event at the Town Hall.

The Paralympic Handover will be celebrated with events in schools and an athletics event for disabled sports people at Erith Leisure Centre.

The London Borough of Bexley is set to welcome the prestigious annual inter-borough athletics event for adults with learning difficulties at the David Ives Stadium at the Erith Leisure Centre. The event takes place on Wednesday 17 September, a date chosen to coincide with the Paralympic Handover, when the Beijing Paralympic Games pass the baton of responsibility to London for the 2012 Games.

To mark the occasion there will be a special celebratory handover ceremony during the event involving competitors and spectators. With over 1,000 seats for spectators a rallying call is being issued for as many people as possible to come down to the Stadium, join in the celebrations and cheer the athletes on.

This is a fantastic and inspiring event that offers a great opportunity for adults with learning difficulties to take part in competitive sport, and it is hoped that the residents of Bexley will turn out in force to support the athletes and join in the Paralympic Handover celebrations.

Each year the Inter-borough Athletics day attracts over 100 competitors from Bexley and from local neighbouring Boroughs. It is rated as one of the most important sports events in London for people with learning difficulties.

It is fitting that such high profile and exciting event should be held at the David Ives Stadium, one of Bexley's potential pre-Games Training Camp for athletics that has recently received certification from official London 2012 Guide.

The London Borough of Bexley has organised the event in association with MCCH, who manage Bexley's day and residential services for people with learning difficulties.

The event is supported by Parkwood Leisure, EDF Energy - an official London 2012 Partner - and the LDA's 'London Summer of Sport' programme.

The competition starts at 10.30am. The handover celebrations are expected to take place at 12.30pm.

For further information on the event, contact Hugh Elsegood, London Borough of Bexley on 020 8294 6985 or email hugh.elsegood@bexley.gov.uk

Camden

Camden celebrated the Olympic Handover from the Beijing Games on Sunday 24 August 2008 by holding a family event at Swiss Cottage. Afternoon activities included storytelling and flag making for children in Swiss Cottage Library and the Lead Member for 2012 raised the flag in unison with the ceremony in Beijing and events across the rest of the UK.

To mark the Paralympic Handover Talacre Community Sports Centre and Swiss Cottage Special School are getting together for a fun packed day. It include a mixture of sport and cultural activities based on the Paralympic themes, with the Beijing ceremony played live. Other schools in Camden will also be celebrating the Paralympic Handover as part of their school day.

City of London

The City of London Corporation celebrated the Olympic handover with an event called 'Out of the Blocks' which comprised of an afternoon of music, circus and street arts. The event took place outside St Paul's and Paternoster Square and was organised by the City of London Festival in partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra, Barbican and the Guildhall School. The event incorporated the 'Raising the Flag' moment.

The City of London Corporation will be marking the handover of the Paralympic Games from Beijing with an "Evolving art at Monument" event. Taking place at The Monument, Pudding Lane between 12noon - 12.30pm, the City of London Festival will celebrate with music from students of the Richard Cloudesley School and the unveiling of the final part of a mural that they have created.

Croydon

Croydon celebrated the moment of the Olympic handover with a flag raising ceremony oat Taberner House. This involved some of the local sports clubs including Croydon gymnastics club and Croydon RFC Juniors.

Croydon will be celebrating the Paralympic handover on the 17 September will a themed sports day as well as events taking place in the borough's schools. More details to follow.

Ealing

Ealing celebrated the Olympic Handover moment with a flag-raising ceremony at the Town Hall and also with Champions Elect - a photographic exhibition of work by Edward Lee, who has captured the gruelling training regimes of local Olympic hopefuls.

Enfield

Enfield celebrated the Olympic Handover with a flag raising ceremony at the Civic Centre with local councillors and the winning girl's athletics team from this year's London Youth Games.

The Paralympic Handover will be celebrated in the borough with a public event at the Lea Valley Athletics Centre, Enfield on the 17 September. Following the event the flag will be driven back to Enfield Civic centre where it will be presented by a local Paralympic hopeful to a full meeting of the Council.

Greenwich

Greenwich celebrated the Olympic Handover with a public event at the O2 centre. There was an afternoon of activities to enjoy. Large screens televised the event, at the close of the Beijing Olympic Games, when the Mayor of London received the Olympic flag from the Mayor of Beijing.

The entertainment on the day included:

• jazz and samba band accompanied by carnival dancers with stunning carnival customs
• roaming artists, giant puppets, Chinese acrobats and other street entertainers
• football shooting competition run by Charlton Athletic
• gymnastics display
• demonstrations by local sports clubs: Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Fencing
• health and fitness information stands

The event included people joining the rest of the nation in a mass sing-along. This was part of the Sing the Nation programme - a festival to get everyone singing.

Paralympic Handover - An all-day 'festival of inclusive sport' will take place across Greenwich this Wednesday, 17 September, as Greenwich celebrates the moment when London officially becomes the Host City for the 2012 Paralympic Games.

Football, gymnastics, horse riding and sailing will be the sports featured as Greenwich Council teams up with local schools and sports organisations for the festival with its strong theme of involving children and adults of all abilities and disabilities.

The event is being staged to coincide with the closing ceremony of the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing and the handover of the Paralympic flag to London.

Events taking place during the day include:

• Gymnastics and Trampoline displays, Charlton school, Charlton Park Road, SE7; 10am-12noon (presentations at 11am)
• Horse riding at Charlton Park Disabled Riding School, Charlton Park Rd, SE7; 9am-1pm (presentations at 12noon)
• Football tournament - South London Special League, Kidbrooke Playing Fields, Dursley Rd, Kidbrooke SE3; 12-2pm (presentations 1.30pm)
• Celebration sailing day for people with disabilities - Ahoy Sailing Centre, Borthwick Street, Deptford SE8; 10am-4pm (presentations 3pm). Also features karate coaching, and information stalls by local sports organisations and other groups working with people with disabilities.

In addition several local schools are staging cultural and sports events, and special assemblies.

Hackney

Hackney celebrated the Olympic at Hackney Handover at the Shoreditch Festival. Hackney held events for everyone to enjoy in Hoxton Street and Shoreditch Park.
From 1pm, there was a 1948 Street Party on Hoxton Street looking back to the last time the Games came to our capital. As well as plenty of vintage stalls and table displays visitors enjoyed:

• the Windrush Dancehall with the sounds of Calypso and Mento
• Jitterbug and Swing featuring Penny Reel
• The Calypsonians
• Top Cats
• the London Swing Dance Society
• Continental Drifts Music
• joining Lily Farthing for a rousing knees-up
• visiting the outdoor bar and dance floor as East End Boys and West End Girls do their thing!

In Shoreditch Park spectators watched live dance and entertainment on the main stage, and took part in sports and cultural activities throughout the day.
The handover moment from Beijing to London was also broadcast live on a big screen in the Park.
Lift also unveiled its special Hackney Handover day art commission - Shoreditch Ball Park.
As a fitting finale to day and to the Shoreditch Festival, BBC Big Band arrived for the Ugly Bugs Ball - with a new youth musical on the main stage, swing on by at 6pm and dance until sunset.

Hackney will be welcoming the Paralympic Games to London on Wednesday, 17 September.
The Town Hall Square will be an action packed zone with award winning disability culture and sports showcasing art, dance and music; football and basketball too.
There will be information from disability groups and the Council.
Paralympic athlete Giles Long will join in Hackney's celebrations.
All of Hackney is welcome.

Activities in the Town Hall Square:
Sports

• Positive Mental Attitude Football,
• Wheelchair Badminton and Basketball,
• Boccia

Arts

• Core Arts, Graeae Theatre, Wheelchair
• Line dancing

Thai Chi

Information

• Stalls providing advice and guidance on disability issues from local groups, and about 2012 from the Council.

For more information: olympics@hackney.gov.uk

Hackney schools are marking Paralympic Handover with three days of sports at Clissold Leisure Centre to educate and raise disability

Hammersmith & Fulham

The Handover from Beijing to London was celebrated all over Great Britain and Hammersmith & Fulham have been given their own flag to be part of this historically significant day. The flag can be seen at Fulham Palace Museum in 'The Great White City' exhibition from 24th August.
Hammersmith and Fulham are celebrating the Paralympic Handover on the 17 September with a celebration of disabled dance with performances on Lyric Square and opportunities to have a go at disability sports.

Haringey

Haringey celebrated the Olympic Handover with a ceremony that took place at Wood Green Library, High Road.
The ceremony included a speech for the Leader of the Council introducing the ceremony and welcoming the Olympics to Haringey, and London, a welcoming of the local sports teams - Haringey's contribution to the Olympic games 2012 and an amazing four way choreographed juggling act by Gandini. During the ceremony, at handover moment the Handover flag was also raised.

Harrow

Harrow celebrated the Olympic Handover with a flag raising ceremony at its Civic Centre building.
Included in the day were a member of Paralympic Team GB rugby squad, sports demonstrations from Harrow wheelchair basketball club, Harrow powered wheelchair football team , Watford FC and Silver Surf Skatepark Users. Also, Harrow Concert Band and a specially commissioned "Fanfare for Harrow" musical performance was given. Local community organisations presented their messages of support to welcome the world and there will be contributions by local young people. Big Screens showed the BBC televised coverage of Beijing and The Mall.

The Paralympic handover will be celebrated with an event at the Aspire National Training Centre (Association for Spinal Injury Research) on 17 September 2008 will be held to commemorate the Paralympic Handover and potentially involve wheelchair, basketball, rugby and football teams.

Havering

Havering celebrated the Olympic Handover moment with a flag raising ceremony at the Havering Show, it included involvement from the borough's Young Olympic Ambassadors and the Summer University. The Havering Show is a day long Town Show with music and entertainment in Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch.
Havering will be marking the Paralympic Handover on the 17 September with a Celebration of Disability Sports and Physical Activity. For more information, please contact Margaret Campbell at margaret.campbell@havering.gov.uk

Hounslow

In celebration of the 2012 London Paralympic Handover, London Borough of Hounslow and partners will be hosting an event for Hounslow's disabled young people.

The event will take place on Wednesday, 17 September, at Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre, and is about developing sporting opportunities for Hounslow's young people with disabilities.

The day will involve an award ceremony to acknowledge students' sporting achievements and a circuit of fun athletic activities.

The handover ceremony will involve Feltham sporting star Ryan Langdon who is set to secure a position in the 2012 Olympic squad for Boccia.

Islington

Islington celebrated the Olympic Handover by raising the flag at a multi sports event at Elthorne Park, Hazellville Road. The event was an opportunity for young people to get involved in sports such as basketball, wheelchair basketball and football.

The Paralympic handover is being marked in Islington with a Sports Night at Centre 404, 404 Camden Road, N7 0SJ, on Wednesday September 17, 7-9pm. The venue is for people with learning difficulties. At the event there will be a games night with prizes, and screen replays of Olympic action are planned.

There will be an opportunity for young people and others to try out curling, water balloon shot putt, and standing jump competition.

For more information, please contact John Thorne, Olympics Officer, 020 7527 7096, john.thorne@islington.gov.uk.

Kensington & Chelsea

The theme for this year's Notting Hill Carnival, taking place over the Olympic Handover weekend was 'Welcoming the World'. It was chosen to reflect the multicultural nature of visitors and to integrate the carnival's ideals with those of London's 2012 Olympic Games.
This year's carnival saw the installation of a giant 25 square metre screen at Emslie Horniman Pleasance Garden, near Ladbroke Grove. This screen broadcast the handover events in Beijing and provided the backdrop for the borough's own handover flag ceremony, compered by former English high jumper Dalton Grant.

Kingston

Kingston celebrated the handover on 24 August with an open-top bus processing through the borough with the London 2012 flag.

Kingston Carnival on Sunday 31 August had an Olympic Community Engagement strand with local sports clubs participating in the parade and with Fulham FC's "Cage" providing one of the attractions - a space shooting at goal. The Kingston CSPAN was promoted and the opportunities for volunteering as well as, in particular, for women, girls and the disabled community to take part in sport.

Kingston is concentrating on celebrating the moment of the Paralympic Handover on the 17th September. Taking place between 1 - 3pm at Motspur Park (Fulham FC's training ground) the event will celebrate the launch of Kingston CSPAN (Community Sports & Physical Activity Network), a major programme of sports participation with a special emphasis on girls and women as well as on people with disabilities. A programme of sporting activities is planned with children from local schools taking part and at 2pm everyone will celebrate the Olympic torch hand-over.

Lambeth

Lambeth celebrated the Olympic Handover moment with a special Summer Reading Challenge activity. Children who had completed their challenge early received a special invitation to attend. Activities on the day included entertainment from Brixton based performance company. The Bureau Of Silly ideas (BOSi) who led a creative exercise with the children based around their Olympic dream sports. The afternoon culminated with the children holding the flag outside the library for a photograph before it was then raised on the flag pole of the Town Hall.

The Paralympic handover will be celebrated by raising the flag in the school grounds of a Lambeth special needs school with dignitaries and Paralympian Dzaier Neil present.

Lewisham

Lewisham celebrated the Olympic Handover by creating an 'Olympic Garden' to house the handover flag in a local park. The garden is a temporary installation with a forest of flags, including some made by local residents that reflect the Olympic themes. The Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock marked the handover moment by unfurling the handover flag as the centrepiece of the installation.

The Paralympic Handover will be celebrated in partnership with Lewisham SEN schools. To mark the event, Paralympic assemblies will be held at SEN schools. The assemblies will include presentations from past Paralympians and pupils will also be given the opportunity to quiz the Paralympian in a question and answer session. Local sports clubs in the borough, who deliver activities specifically for disabled people, will also be involved promoting their clubs and activities.

Merton

Merton celebrated Olympic Handover with its Kids Fest 2008 event. The day included hands-on arts workshops and physical activities.

To mark the Handover moment bells rang at Christchurch when the flag was passed to Boris Johnson in Beijing.
This was followed by the Merton - London 2012 official flag parade with various groups from the borough. The parade went through Abbey Mills down the Wandle Trail, through Morden Hall Park and Morden Town Centre, and finally raised up the flag pole outside Merton Civic Centre.

The Paralympic Handover will be celebrated with a Paralympic handover sports event. This will be a one day event for special needs and disability schools, adults, carers, parents and teachers at Cannon Leisure Centre.

Baked Bean Theatre Company working with adults with learning disabilities are performing their production at Cannon's and also at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre for 1 week from 22 September 2008. The event will feature a range of activities planned for the whole community.

Redbridge

Redbridge celebrated the Olympic Handover moment with an Olympic Handover celebration 'Inspir8tion', marking the beginning of London's term as host city. The event took place at Redbridge Cycling Centre, a brand new state of the art cycling facility in the borough.

Residents were invited to go and soak up the carnival atmosphere and enjoy a whole host of entertainment for family members of all ages. Visitors had the opportunity to get involved in many activities at this exciting event. The day also includedentertainment from the Extreme Mountain Bike team with their jaw dropping tricks and Cyclemagic, a roadshow with a difference!
Also on offer was:

• Carnival processions, storytelling, entrancing street theatre and the opportunity to sample food from across the world, as well as some fantastic local produce
• The main attraction was be the Emergency Exit Arts 'Air Carnival' led by teams of young masqueraders and cyclists from local schools, sports groups, dancers, youth theatres and musicians from Redbridge's diverse communities.
• Everyone had the opportunity to take part in the fun with arts and crafts workshops throughout the day

The Paralympic Handover will be celebrated with an Olympic / Paralympic style schools competition at the Redbridge Sport and Leisure Centre. The target group for this event is year 8 students who will take part in a range of sports competitions on behalf of their school. There will also be a focus on disability sports in the borough.

Richmond

Richmond celebrated the Olympic Handover from the River Thames with the Mayor of Richmond raising the Olympic Flag on board the Jubilant.

Richmond Council will be celebrating the Paralympic Games Handover on Wednesday 17 September with a performance from dance duet 'Girl jonah' and a torch relay by St Mary's University and Richmond upon Thames college students to schools across the borough.

The handover ceremony marks the moment when London becomes the official Host City of the next Paralympic Games and many boroughs across the capital are celebrating with related events and activities.

On Tuesday 16 September 'girl jonah' will be hosting a master class open to trained disabled and non-disabled dancers with relevant dance experience. The performance on Wednesday is a culmination of participatory workshops which have been running over the summer period with two local disability groups.

The runners in the torch relay will set out from a central location to schools across the borough. Each school will host a reception to celebrate the handover and arrival of the runners and also produce contributions to the People's Record, one of the Council's Cultural Olympiad projects. Each school record will detail the pupils' hopes and ideas for the 2012 Olympics.

Southwark

Southwark celebrated the Olympic Handover by raising the Olympic Handover Flag at Camberwell Green to celebrate the moment when London becomes the official Olympic Games Host City.

Accompanying the flag raising event there was also a showcase of local sporting and cultural talent, as well as interactive workshops and activities such as athletic competitions and live music. A giant screen, courtesy of the SE5 Forum for Camberwell, was also erected to broadcast the Olympic Closing Ceremony from Beijing.

Boundless 08: The Paralympic Handover will play a role in Southwark's inclusive arts, sports and culture festival.
The festival is taking place from Friday September 12 to Sunday September 21 2008. Boundless 2008 will be a showcase of amazing work from artists that increases access to potential and existing audiences using accessible venues across Southwark.

Southwark will celebrate the London to Beijing Paralympics Handover on Wednesday 17 September from 10.30am to 2pm with an exciting day of disability arts and sports.

Boundless Outdoors kicks off at Potters Fields Park (near Tower Bridge, SE1) with high energy action as nine special needs schools from South London compete in a variety of sports activities including tennis, tri-golf, seated volleyball, tag-rugby and new age curling.

Spectators at this special event will also be treated to live entertainment at the Scoop as comedienne Liz Bentley hosts a showcase of cutting edge disability performance featuring The Greenwood Performance Group, poet Kate Portal, dance from RWA (Ready Willing Able), and music from Skirts, the up-and-coming punk rock band from The Bridge School of Music.

Sutton

Sutton celebrated the Olympic Handover with a spectacular display of Chinese dancing in Sutton Town Centre on Sunday, 24 August, when London officially became the host city of the next Olympic Games.

A traditional lion dance and kung fu demonstration from the Ming Tak Chinese School in Belmont were among the festivities launching four years of local activity in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics.

Sutton's current young sports personality Kerry Ford, a judo prospect for the London games, then raised the Olympic flag in the High Street. There was also be a speech from the Mayor of Sutton, Cllr Dr Brendan Hudson and street dance from EM Performing Arts, to represent the British element of the handover.

The event was organised by the Sutton Olympic Forum, the body made up of representatives from the council, the voluntary sector, sports clubs, schools, arts groups and businesses, to spearhead local activities.

Sutton plans to mark the Paralympic Handover by holding a number of celebrations in its local schools.

Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets celebrated the Olympic Handover with a Dance Celebration in Victoria Park with dance from hip-hop to Bollywood plus live music from London Breakbeat Orchestra. The event also had a big screen showing the handover moment live. People were also able to watch the handover moment live on a temporary live site at Canary Wharf.

To celebrate Paralympic Handover Tower Hamlets will be hosting a Disability Sports Day and Paralympic Handover at Mile End Park Leisure Centre on 17 September.

Tower Hamlets will be running a series of unique 5km run challenges with a twist on the 14 September. Open to individuals of all abilities (especially those with sight and hearing impairments). Participants can walk or run individually or show solidarity for blind athletes and run/walk blindfolded with a sighted guide.

Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest will be marking the Paralympic Handover on the 17 September with displays of disability arts, culture and sport with sports activities planned in Walthamstow Town Square throughout the day.

Wandsworth

Wandsworth celebrated the Olympic Handover moment with a specially commissioned flag flying above the town hall which marked the start of the celebration of the UK becoming the next host nation.

Westminster

Westminster was the location for London 2012's Olympic Handover celebration party on The Mall.

Westminster is celebrating the Paralympic handover on the 17th September with a sporting event at Paddington Basin Olympic Village and Athletics Centre at Paddington Rec. The extravaganza will include live performing arts followed by a series of Sporting Events.
All winners and participants will receive certificates in honour of their achievement.

Sports to compete in include:

• Gym cycling challenge
• Treadmill long-run challenge
• Table tennis
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• 100m / 200m / 400m / relay
• 7-a-side Football
• (All mixed teams)

Entertainment will include:

• Live Performing Arts
• Choice FM
• Carnival Road Show Steel Pan Band
• Raffle
• Prize giveaways