Paralympic Torch run is a ‘dream come true’ for Rustington’s Carrie

Yesterday (Wednesday, August 29) saw Carrie Reynolds, of Old Manor Road, run through Piccadilly Circus, London, carrying the Paralympic Torch, after she was nominated for her “incredible work” helping to provide sporting opportunities for the disabled young people in the area.

Speaking before her monumental run, Carrie, 32, who works as a community development manager with Inspire Leisure, said she broke down when she discovered that she would be carrying the Paralympic flame.

“I couldn’t believe it when I found out, I just cried.

“I then thought, ‘God, there must be people more deserving than me out there’. Just the people I work with are incredible.

“It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime memory and I’m just going to soak up every single minute of it when I’m down there,” she said.

Carrie, a former student at the Littlehampton Community School, has a degree in sports development from Chichester University.

She said that she became involved in helping disabled youngsters, about six years ago, when she volunteered with the Wasps Multi-sports Club, which runs at The Angmering School.

It was here that Carrie said she had the chance to meet disabled children and teens, who were keen to compete in sport, but didn’t have any activities specifically catered to account for their conditions.

Carrie has since been the chairman of the Sussex Disability Sports Forum as well as lead organiser for the County Disability Parallel Youth Games.

She is also the lead consultant for Sussex School Games for Disability Sport, which helps organise an annual Olympic-style event that sees some 1,600 children, from across the county, take part.

“My experience working with children with limited mobility has been inspiring,” she added.

“I would not change it for the world.”