About Stoke Mandeville Stadium & Olympic Lodge
Stoke Mandeville Stadium, The National Centre for Disability Sport, boasts the highest grade of facilities for our leading sportsmen and women.
The redevelopment of Stoke Mandeville Stadium has transformed the original sports centre into a state-of-the art leisure complex to enable WheelPower – British Wheelchair Sport to provide a venue of the highest quality for all users. Stoke Mandeville Stadium has become known as the ‘home of wheelchair sport’ and the ‘birthplace of the Paralympic Games’.
It owes its existence to Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a neurologist at Stoke Mandeville Hospital who believed passionately that access to sport played a vital role in the rehabilitation of those suffering injury or disease to the spine. WheelPower provides accessible facilities at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium including an Athletics Arena, Sports Hall, Indoor Bowls Centre, Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre. On site accommodation is available in the Olympic Lodge and the Olympic Village and is complemented by meeting and conference facilities and catering for events of all sizes.
In April 2003 the Stoke Mandeville Stadium was opened by HRH the Prince of Wales, Royal Patron of WheelPower following a £10.2 million redevelopment. Redevelopment saw the facilities totally transformed into a state of the art sports complex including sports and catering facilities alongside the Olympic Lodge and Olympic Village.
The new facilities were redeveloped thanks to a Sport England Lottery Fund award of £5.243 million together with funds raised through WheelPower’s Sporting Chance Appeal Committee. In addition to the new facilities the existing facilities are being upgraded and new facilities added as funds permit. The home of the National Wheelchair Championships, Stoke Mandeville Stadium is now a unique venue for any conference and corporate event as well as boasting superb facilities and the perfect backdrop to host private dinners and functions.’