A YOUNG woman with cerebral palsy was able to play an historic part in the beginning of the Paralympic Games – after a kind charity gesture at the last minute.

Adelaide Gardiner, from Burnham, was told that she could not carry the Heritage Flame as part of the flame-lighting ceremony in the lead up to the games in Rio as it would not attach to her wheelchair.

But the 24-year-old was able to take part in the ceremony at Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Aylesbury thanks to the efforts of charity, Remap, which was able to make the necessary special alterations to her wheelchair.

Gail Beard, Adelaide’s carer, accompanied her at the ceremony on Friday, September 2 after she was selected from a ballot by the Buckinghamshire Disability Service (BuDS).

She said: “It was a privilege for Adelaide to be asked by BuDS to participate in the Paralympic Heritage Flame event.

“She is a wheelchair user, so having a device to hold the Olympic flame attached to her wheelchair was vital.

“We were devastated when the person we had lined up to create this for us was no longer able to make it – this meant Adelaide couldn’t participate. Thankfully BuDS put us in contact with Remap, who were extremely helpful and have managed to design, make and fit the flame holder within just a week.”

Remap designs and custom makes equipment for people with disabilities for free, and its volunteers also use their skills to make bespoke equipment.

Roger Thorn, a volunteer with Remap, set to work designing and making a professional torch holder for Adelaide and completed the job at short notice, enabling Adelaide to take part after all.

The flame lighting ceremony is part of the lead up to the Rio games and took took place in Stoke Mandeville, as it is the birthplace of the Paralympic movement.

It was the only venue outside the host nation, Brazil, to play a role in creating the Paralympic flame.

The Heritage Flame combined with others travelling to Rio from across Brazil to ignite the main torch for the games, which began on Wednesday last week.