A community arts group is working on a project looking back on the opening and closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Parrabbola's project, #WeKeptTheSurprise, is focusing on those people who took part in the events at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, now the London Stadium.

It is part of Newham Heritage Month 2022, an annual festival with this year's theme being What London 2012 Means To Us.

Newham Recorder: Nurses perform during the Olympics opening ceremonyNurses perform during the Olympics opening ceremony (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Parrabbola said the title of its project is inspired by the SaveTheSurprise hashtag, which trended in the run-up to the Olympic opening ceremony on July 27, 2012.

Participants were asked to keep the contents of the performances a secret, it added.

Parrabbola now wants to hear from anyone involved in the ceremonies for its project - from performers to props makers or backstage technicians.

Newham Recorder: Ellie Simmonds during the closing ceremony for the London Paralympic GamesEllie Simmonds during the closing ceremony for the London Paralympic Games (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

They will use the interviews for a drama documentary to be performed by professional actors in Newham at the end of June.

A spokesperson for Parrabbola called the ceremonies "a thrilling experience for those involved and life changing for many".

They said: "Parrabbola want to recreate the emotions and excitement of taking part in the ceremonies."

The group said it is ideally looking for anyone living or working in Newham at the time to take part.

Newham Recorder: Performers during the closing ceremony of the London 2012 OlympicsPerformers during the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

It also vowed to make the interview recordings available for the borough's history archive for the benefit of future generations.

The Olympic opening ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle, featured tributes to Britain's industrial history and the NHS.

Daniel Craig as James Bond visited the Queen at Buckingham Palace while football legend David Beckham drove the Olympic torch in a speedboat down the River Thames.

Physicist Stephen Hawking was among those who featured in the Paralympics opening ceremony.

The four ceremonies all featured a number of musical performances, including from the likes of the Spice Girls, Coldplay, One Direction and Emeli Sande.

Thousands attended the events in person and millions more tuned in to watch them on television.

If you wish to participate in #WeKeptTheSurpise, contact Sovra Newman at
sovra@parrabbola.co.uk or on 07930 570687.