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Lee Penfold was part of Team Great Britain for the Special Olympics in Shanghai in 2007.

He played for the basketball team and brought back a silver medal for his country.

Now Lee has been chosen to be an Ambassador for the Special Olympics 2009, which are being held in Leicester.

He'll be writing a diary for 成人论坛 Leicester over the coming months, and you can read it here...

Alan 'Birch' Birchenall

July 2009

With a day to go before the start of the Special Olympics in Leicester, the city is excited for a massive event for the second time.

The Games last came to Leicester in August 1989.

I'm looking forward to taking part in basketball at John Sanford Sports Centre, starting on Sunday 26 thorough to 31 July 2009.

As you know, I'm presenting the opening ceremony on Saturday with Alan Birchinall, Sameena Ali Khan from ITV and East Midlands Athletic Fleur O Donhoue.

I'm looking forward to the dress rehearsals before the big launch. Lets get a full house at Walkers Stadium on Saturday night!

The New Beautiful South will be performing song from their greatest hits album, Carry On Up The Charts, live at the stadium.

(Photo: Neville Williams)

June 2009

Bloom in June - It's been a great month for Special Olympics, Leicester.

It started down by the Riverside to launch 50 days to the games with our Alan Birchenall and the SOL Team.听

Next stop, it was back on the SOL schools' tour to promote the games ably assisted by Laura Graves, SOL marketing. Both Solly the lion and I听visited Dixie Grammer School, Market Bosworth.

I was then back in the recording studio for an interview with Heart 106 FM at Leicester College Freemans Park Campus.

The 1000th Friend on the SOL Facebook was finally revealed. Stuart Penman from Wigston, Leicester won a听signed snooker cue kindly donated by SOL ambassador Mark Selby who has been an inspiration to all the athletes throughout our journey to the games.

Lee, Steve Redgrave and Rachel

A Special Honour

I also had the honour of meeting one of the world's greatest ever Olympians - five times gold medal winner Sir Steve Redgrave at the Haymarket Shopping Centre.

Rachel Jarvis and I presented Sir Steve with a VIP Special Olympics Plaque to remind him of his visit to an Olympics city.听

After all, the games are a fine example of the legacy of London 2012 already working to inspire people about the power of sport and how it can change peoples lives for the better.

To lift off our media partner ITV official countdown to the games I went along to the Central ITV studios with SOL games director Steve Humphries to record an interview with news presenter Katy Fawcett.

This was quickly followed by 成人论坛 East Midlands Today launching a series of weekly features on SOL starting with as so it听 happens, the Lee Penfold story.听

To cap a memorable week I was also featured in the Daily Mirror as part of sports columnist Oliver Holt's thought provoking feature on the Special Olympics and why sport is so special to all of us.听

Steve Redgrave and Lee

A Busy Lee

This Saturday I will be one of the main guests at the Bardi Wind Orchestra and Lions International Clubs of Leicestershire and Rutland charity musical celebration in aid of the Special Olympics and to commemorate the Special Olympics spirit returning back to the city.

A musical feast awaits as we countdown 28 days to the games.

Finally, the opening ceremony tickets are selling well , so please pick up the telephone a ring听 the LCFC ticket hotline 0844 815 5000 or email tickets.sales@lcfc.co.uk before its too late!听

Don't miss history in the making and help us to give the warmest of welcomes to the 12,000 plus visitors who will be staying in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for the duration of the games.

Bye for now

Lee

Catch Up

You can catch up with all of Lee's Special Olympics diary entries by clicking below...