Paralympic hero Graeme Ballard takes the throne at Blackburn school (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Paralympic hero Graeme Ballard takes the throne at Blackburn school

6:00pm Monday 19th November 2012 in News

PARALYMPIC 100m silver medallist Graeme Ballard was the inaugural guest on a Blackburn primary school’s Throne of Words.

As part of its literacy development, Hawthorn School has been focusing upon the importance of questioning.

The ‘throne’ concept is that guests are invited into the chair and asked questions.

Each pupil in the class must put a question to the guest and then a supplementary question based upon the initial answer.

Once the interview is complete, the class produce a pen portrait of the guest.

Chorley-based Graeme is the world record holder in the T36 class, for those with cerebral palsy.

Three classes met Graeme and gave him a tremendous welcome.

He revealed he was inspired to be an athlete by Steven Gerrard, as he supports Liverpool.

He left the class with the message: “Work hard at all you do and it will lead to success.”

John Lawson, interim head at the school, said: “Graeme was an excellent choice for our first guest. He was extremely popular and qualities such as courage, determination and humility were much in evidence.”