Craig Moate, Colin McMillan, Lady Mayoress Cllr Jean Alexander, The Mayor Cllr Ramsay, Cllr Bert Collins, Leanne Brown, Hayley Willis

A unique project has been launched to mark the one- month countdown to London 2012.

Barking and Dagenham Council unveiled the Memory Games exhibition on Thursday to showcase the borough’s sporting talent.

The Olympic Games is the main driver behind the community archive project aimed at helping to document and celebrate Barking and Dagenham’s rich sporting heritage.

Focusing on a number of sports including, athletics, alpine skiing, boxing, judo, wrestling, canoeing and swimming, the project features both sporting heroes of the past and local talented athletes of the future.

Mayor of Barking and Dagenham, Cllr Tony Ramsay, said: “It was a pleasure to attend the launch of the exhibition; it was very interesting to see in one place just how much talent this borough has. And I was very pleased to present the finalists of the photography competition with their prizes too.”

Sessions to help residents reminisce and interviews with local residents will now form part of a roadshow touring the borough this summer.

Cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, Cllr Bert Collins, said: “This exhibition is a must-see for everyone. It’s great to see so many young talented athletes working towards such inspirational goals and clearly so positively influenced by the sporting heroes of the past”.

The launch night saw Colin Page, 45, from Dagenham, win the Memory Games photography competition. Kelly Alexander, 17 and Ella Darlington, 22, both from Barking were runners-up.

A screening of a film produced by Eastside Community Heritage called Memory Games was also shown.

Roadshow

The roadshow is due to visit Eastbury Manor House, Barking, from June 22 to July 20; Dagenham Town Show, Dagenham, on July 21 and 22 and Valence House, Dagenham, July 24 to September 15. The Memory Games project was granted the Inspire Mark earlier in the year, recognising innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Games.

n Visit www.lbbd.gov.uk/memorygames or call the Olympic Ambition Team on 020 8227 3192.