TODAY is 1,000 days until the start of the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

TODAY is 1,000 days until the start of the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

To mark this countdown Team Ipswich and disability charity Optua are joining forces with the Ipswich Disability Sports Forum (IDSF) to help raise vital funds for its work, increasing participation and awareness of disabled sport across Ipswich and the surrounding area.

During late night shopping shoppers will have the chance to meet previous Paralympians and see Paralympic sport demonstrations taking place in the Buttermarket Shopping Centre, as well as seeing the Woolverstone Project's specialist Gyppeswyk boat, which provides sailing opportunities and tuition for people with disabilities.

Representatives for the IDSF, Team Ipswich and Optua will be out and about collecting all evening.

David Finn, Manager of Optua's Leisure Service, said: "A thousand days sounds like a long time but it will go very quickly as excitement mounts ahead of the Paralympic Games starting in 2012.

“The Paralympics provide a great opportunity for disabled people in Suffolk to get more involved in sport and with the help of Team Ipswich and the ISDF we're working to create better facilities and opportunities for people to try disability sports and find out about what's on offer.”