PARALYMPIC legend Tanni Grey-Thompson came to the Tonbridge Old Fire Station as guest of honour of the West Kent Conservative Group.
The 48-year-old from Cardiff won a total of 16 medals, including 11 golds, across five Paralympic Games between 1988 and 2004.
A wheelchair user, having been born with spina bifida, she also held over 30 world records and won the London Marathon six times between 1992 and 2002.
She has been awarded an MBE, OBE and a damehood for her services to sport, and now holds the title of Baroness after being appointed to the House of Lords in 2010.
Cllr Jon Botten, the Conservative representative for Tonbridge’s Medway ward, said: ‘The local Conservative Association regularly invites guest speakers down for the local membership to hear.
‘As well as being a world-renowned Paralympian, her work in the House of Lords – where she sits as a crossbencher – and as a disability rights campaigner proved a big draw for our members.’
He added: ‘Our members were fascinated to hear Tanni’s story. At the conclusion of her interview with William Rutherford, Chairman of the West Kent Conservative Group, we had a further 30 minutes of questions from the floor.’
PICTURE: GOLD STAR: Tanni Grey-Thompson chats with William Rutherford