BBC Radio London In Dalston

On Thursday the 19th May to Saturday the 21st, some of Hackney Host volunteers were involved in the BBC Radio live broadcast from Ridley Road Market, as they presented the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic games to the community. BBC Radio parked an old Routemaster on the corner of Colvestone Road opposite PAK Butchers, where they broadcasted over the three days.

Hackney Hosts were there to get involved and promote the event as well as take part in the events which included wheelchair basketball, boccia, and speed bounce. The games were played by Hackney youth ambassadors from Colvestone Primary School as well as some of the Hackney Council's 2012 team and some residents of Hackney.

On Thursday Eddie Nester held his show where many controversial questions were asked about the changes and the redevelopment of Hackney because of the Games. The Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe and Paralympian Dervis Konuralp pictured centre with two Hackney Hosts volunteers were interviewed and many issues were covered. Residents expressed their views, thoughts and opinions, giving both positive and negative sides. There was also Steel Pan played by Nostalgia, lead by Bernita. The crowd enjoyed the carnival atmosphere and also took part in learning how to play the pans.

On Friday, the youth ambassadors returned and continued with the Paralympic sports. Residents and shoppers from the market crowded the area as Robert Elms' show covered the history of Hackney, its architecture and culture. He spoke to a few business owners and local people getting their views on what they really thought about the Olympics and its effect on the local people.

Hackney host event reporter Tracy Foster interviewed Dwayne Fields who is campaigning to take part in the London 2012 Torch Relay. Dwayne Fields has lived and worked in Hackney for most of his life. He has recently completed the Peary and Hensen race in which he covered 370 miles across snow and frozen oceans from the northernmost part of Canada to the North Pole, with an organisation called the Polar Challenge. Dwayne believes that his life experience and daily challenges have enabled him to be a role model to young people and his aspirations are to influence more young people to self betterment and sports.

On Saturday Gary Crowley invited Bola and Dionne from the Hackney Hosts volunteer team onto his show. They expressed their views of the Paralympic and Olympic games. Bola said, "Hackney was once seen as one of the poorest boroughs in London but now all eyes are on Hackney because of the Olympics as lots of changes have occurred which have had a very positive effect." The BBC is touring all the Olympic host boroughs as they continue to highlight the Olympic and Paralympic Games.