Stoke Mandeville Stadium, in Aylesbury, has become the permanent home of Splash Mandeville, which has been donated to the birthplace of the Paralympic Games by Lloyds Banking Group following London 2012.
Lloyds Banking Group played an incredible role in the five-year journey to the London 2012 Games, and built a strong relationship with WheelPower after the Group gave Martin McElhatton, Chief Executive of WheelPower, a Paralympic Torchbearer spot in recognition of his inspirational role in building the profile of both the charity and Stoke Mandeville Stadium.
At the end of the fantastic ‘Summer of Sport’ the Lloyds team, like most of the country, was feeling a bit blue and ‘Splashy’ was the perfect way to keep the Olympic spirit alive. After taking up residence in the company’s head office after the Games, Eva Eisenschimmel, Group Marketing Director at Lloyds Banking Group, has now handed over ‘Splashy’ to Stoke Mandeville Stadium, a well deserving and permanent home where the Paralympics began.
Martin McElhatton, Chief Executive of WheelPower, commented: “We are delighted to welcome ‘Splashy’ to his permanent home here at Stoke Mandeville Stadium. I am very grateful to Lloyds Banking Group for the generous gift and their continued support of WheelPower and all the work that goes on here at the stadium. We have thousands of children that come to the stadium and we know Splashy will bring a smile to the faces of those who see him. Thank you Eva and everyone at Lloyds TSB for passing on this legacy of London 2012 to us, he will certainly be looked after.”
Eva Eisenschimmel, Group Marketing Director at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “Our relationship with Stoke Mandeville Stadium is very important to us; and a number of my colleagues have been involved with fundraising events for WheelPower. It was also a great experience to attend the Paralympic Torch Relay Flame Festival; it was a wonderful event, which was so full of anticipation. We are delighted to be able to handover ‘Splashy’ to everyone at Stoke Mandeville, I couldn’t think of a better place for him. I hope he continues to bring a smile to faces, young and old.”