With the London 2012 Paralympic Games getting underway today, we take a look at the best accessibility apps to help visitors make the most of London and the Games.

Inclusive London
Check accessibility information on hotels, restaurants, pubs, shops, museums and more. You can set your access preferences and prioritise search results. Free, and available for iPhone. Find out more at inclusivelondon.com

Hailo
Hail one of London’s accessible taxis wherever and whenever you need one with your smartphone. No more waiting on a street corner! Available for free on iPhone and Android. Visit hailocab.com for full details and to download.

Parkible
Looking for a disabled parking space in London? Then use the Parkible app to find the spaces near where you are, or search a specific location for parking bays. Free to download and available for iPhone and Android.

Enabled City
The PhotoRoute app by Enabled City provides step-free routes on some of London’s most photogenic routes, including Paddington to Camden Lock and the London Eye to Tower Bridge. There’s a free “Lite” version available, as well as a fully offline premium version for £1.99.  Available on iPhone and Android. Visit enabledcity.com to download.

Official London 2012 Join In App
Last but not least, the Official London 2012 App. Plan your trip to the Paralympic Games, check event schedules and receive London 2012 alerts. Available for free on iPhone and Android. Visit london2012.com to download.

Are you coming to London for the Paralympic Games? Let us know if you have used any accessibility apps to help you get around in the comments section below.

London is getting ready for the excitement of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, which will begin in style at tomorrow’s Opening Ceremony.

Many venues across the capital will be screening the Ceremony, which will feature a circus act, a tribute to Professor Stephen Hawking and a flypast by disabled pilots. The ceremony is called ”Enlightenment” and will also reference Shakespeare’s The Tempest, continuing the theme from the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games.

A selection of screenings is below, but let us know about any other Opening Ceremony events in the comments below:

BT Live in Trafalgar Square: 
BT London Live, which proved so popular during the Olympic Games, brings its blend of music, activities and sporting coverage to Trafalgar Square. Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis and no tickets are required.

BBC Big Sceens:  
Find BBC Big Screens at General Gordon Square in Woolwich and Walthamstow Town Square, where you can watch Paralympic coverage for free.

Broadgate: 
There will be big screens showing the Ceremony in each of the three pedestrianised piazzas around Broadgate in the City.

Jimmy’s Supperclub at Annex East:
The popular pop-up in Stratford is hosting an Opening Ceremony party. For £42 you can enjoy a sparkling wine reception, live music, and all the action live on the big screen whilst you tuck in to 5 delicious courses.

The Sporting Page:
This popular Chelsea pub will be screening daily Paralympic coverage, including the Opening Ceremony.

The Doodle Bar:
The arty Battersea bar will be screening the Opening Ceremony. Bring a pencil and doodle while you watch the spectacle!

The Rose Theatre:
The café of this Kingston theatre contains a large plasma screen where you can watch the Opening Ceremony.

More about the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony

London 2012 organisers have opened volunteer recruitment to the public today, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to become involved in the world’s biggest sporting event.

Applications for volunteers, who will be known as Games Makers, opened at 8am today and continue until midnight on 27 October – so there’s only six weeks to apply.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: “Volunteering with us will be challenging but the rewards are life-long as our London 2012 Games Makers will literally make history happen.

“We want the best team players in the UK to apply, people who show the same qualities as our athletes including dedication, focus and grace under pressure.

“Whatever your role, you will help welcome the world and show what the UK has to offer. If you have what it takes to be a London Games Maker, apply now!”

There are 70,000 volunteer roles to fill for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with two thirds of the roles generalist volunteer positions. These include welcome desk staff, ticket checkers, costume assistants, drivers and event stewards.

The remaining roles are specialist roles comprising volunteers skilled in medical, press operations and anti-doping sectors -applications are also still open for these roles.

For more information and to apply visit www.london2012.com/volunteering.

Find out why Eddie Izzard thinks becoming a Games Maker is an opportunity not to be missed below:

The chance to volunteer at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is too good to miss for many, including it seems TV star Ralf Little.

Speaking to The Bolton News, the star of The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps said:

“At the Paralympics they will need hundreds and hundreds of volunteers to help with all kinds of competitions.

“I will sign up. I will definitely look into trying to do something with the volunteering. There is not another way to get better experience of the Paralympics.”

Little added: “This is the catch-22 because once you see it first-hand and get involved you are hooked.”

The 30 year-old first became interested in volunteering when a friend asked him to help out as a marshal at the British Short Course Swimming Championships in Sheffield last year.

He said: “I did not know much about disability sport, but being there got rid of a lot of preconceptions and opened my eyes.

“It was not people being patronised or playing around. It was people doing sport at the top level.

“It very quickly became clear to me that I was not there to sign autographs or as someone from the telly to swan around, but to help marshal the athletes and get on with it.”

Ralf Little will be appearing in The Aliens at Bush Theatre from 15 Sep.

Will you become a volunteer at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games?

The multi-talented Mayor of London Boris Johnson today turned his hand to Boccia, the uniquely Paralympic sport, in celebration of the two-year countdown to the start of the Paralympic Games.

Joined by Paralympian wheelchair basketball player, Ade Adepitan, Johnson played the game – which is similar to bowls – on a full size Boccia court in Trafalgar Square.

The London 2012 Paralympic Games kick-off with the Opening Ceremony on 29 August 2012. Boccia will be played at London’s ExCeL during the 2012 Paralympic Games, with seven gold medals up for grabs.

If you fancy yourself as the next Boccia star or you want to see the GB Boccia gold medalists Dan Bentley, Zoe Robinson and David Smith in action, head to Trafalgar Square this morning.