This evening will see the conclusion of the Paralympic torch relay in Italy as the winter Paralympic Games are hosted by Milano Cortina from the 6th to the 15th of March this year.
In the summer of 2012 I was given the opportunity to act as Herefordshire’s flame ambassador at the age of just 16 when the county was chosen as one of 33 host counties for a celebration event ahead of the London 2012 games.
However I was not just going to be wheeling into our celebration event carrying the flame on behalf of Herefordian’s in my wheelchair oh no, it was time to think outside of the box on this one.
So thinking outside of the box, I along with the team at Herefordshire RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) as it was known then decided that I would deliver the flame to the county on horseback in front of nearly 1,000 residents.
The event was held at the Queen’s Lawn which is part of the Royal National College for Blind’s campus in the county and that is where I rode into on my HRDA (Herefordshire Riding for the Disabled Association) horse, Gypsy.
This was only 24 hours after I met the then Prime Minister David Cameron at London’s Trafalgar Square where England’s Paralympic cauldron was lit ahead of the games and celebration parties.
On arrival at the stage that had been set up for the event I was given the opportunity by BBC Hereford and Worcester who were hosting the party to say a few words and this was when I was nearly bucked off Gypsy due to the play back of the microphone I was using.
Luckily I didn’t get chucked off and was told to drop the microphone which of course I did.
It is disappointing that there will be no athletes from ParalympicsGB in attendance at tonight’s opening ceremony because the team have chosen to rest ahead of competition officially starting tomorrow.
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Thank you to each and everyone of you, my loyal readers and social media followers who continually take the time out of your busy schedules to read my latest posts, as always this does not go unnoticed and is very much appreciated.
Good luck to all ParalympicsGB athletes who are competing in a range of sports in the next couple of weeks, I am behind you along with the rest of the nation.
Cam
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