Cheshire Independent Issue 202

JUNE 2025 4 SPORTING super- stars Dame Sarah Storey and Sir Chris Hoy shared a stage to recount their monumental Olym- pian journeys. The evening at The King’s School, Maccles- field, hosted by former Sale Sharks scrum half Will Cliff, saw a sell- out 600 strong audi- ence spellbound by the cyclists’ stories. Proceeds from the evening will go to The Christie hospital and King’s School’s Bur- sary fund. The list of honours is endless for the Chesh- ire contemporaries: Dame Sarah won 30 Paralympic medals, with 19 of them gold, plus 45 world titles with six in her first sport of swimming. Sir Chris with six Olympic golds, plus a silver, is one of Britain’s greatest ever Olympic medal holders. However, it has not all been accolades and acclaim and the pair recounted their tales of grit, guts and grim determination. Sir Chris said: “I remember returning to my tiny shared Salford flat after winning my first Gold Medal in the 1km time trial at the Athens Olympics in 2000 to a pile of bills lying on a carpet that you could hardly walk on it was so sticky. No one recognised me. It was just back to training.” D a m e S a r a h recounted coming back to school in Man- chester from her first Paralympics at the age of 14 after winning two gold, three silver and one bronze medal at the Barcelona Games and being cold-shouldered by her class mates in school. She told the audi- ence: “I was advised not to keep talking about my success, and was ultimately not really embraced by friends of my own age. I was only really able to talk about what had happened with the other swimmers who were all two years older than me. I really strug- gled at school, but in the process, I learned always to go my own way.” In China in 2008, the Olympic cycling team spearheaded by Sir Chris won eight gold, three silver and two bronze medals, with the Paralympians, led by Dame Sarah follow- ing up with a stunning 20 medals, including 17 golds. Sir Chris said: “It was after Beijing that the country went cycling crazy with all the men in Lycra blocking up the roads.” So, what separates the merely very good from the great? Sir Chris said: “On my way up I saw people giving what they thought was their all, but I could see it was just 99 per cent. You have to commit everything to every single session.” Dame Sarah said: “It’s quite simple: you have to leave no stone unturned. You have to examine every little detail of your performance, your train- ing, preparation and life- style and work out just how you can do better.” This was never truer when at the last Paris games Dame Sarah came back to sport after serious health issues at the age of 46. She had suffered a collapsed lung and her chest had been pumped full of medication with 18 months left to the games, but still fought back to win. She said: “I simply wasn’t her going to let her beat me. “Also, as a mum, I had so dearly wanted to have my youngest child, Char- lie, see me race. He had not been able to come to Tokyo because of Covid and had always said he wanted to see me race at a Paralympics.” Now as parents, they simply wish to provide as many opportunities as possible for their own children. “My father used to drive me all over the country, from Edinburgh even down to the South Coast so I could race,” remembered Sir Chris. “He didn’t force me. If I wanted to race, he’d make sure I had the opportunity. Our chil- dren can choose what- ever they want. “It doesn’t have to be cycling. It doesn’t have to sport. It could be music, art, drama, wherever their pas- sion lies, we would just like to provide those opportunities. However, if it happens to be track cycling, I won’t complain!” Sir Chris also gave an update on his can- cer diagnosis. He said: “It came out of the blue and there’s little I can do about it, but life is finite for everyone and it has inspired me to enjoy every day. “It has also provided me with an opportu- nity to raise aware- ness and in the process raise £1 million for cancer care.” THE fields of Love Lane Farm came alive as the Smallwood Vintage Rally 2025 rolled in, bringing with it a fantastic fusion of history, horsepower, and family fun. The much-loved three-day Bank Holiday weekend event drew in thousands of visitors each day, all eager to step back in time and soak up the sights, sounds, and smells of yesteryear. Petrolheads and nostalgia lov- ers were treated to an impres- sive display of steam traction engines, gleaming classic cars and motorbikes, rugged vintage trucks and avehicles and tanks, and a fascinating collection of stationary engines. But it wasn’t just about the machines – the rally offered a jam-packed programme for all ages. Families enjoyed tasty treats from local food and drink stalls, browsed unique finds in the auto- jumble and craft marquee, and watched the colourful fairground organ in action. Thrill-seekers got their fix with tractor pulling and fairground rides, while dog lovers were wowed by Cheshire K9 Training’s energetic displays. Crowds cheered as the Danc- ing Diggers performed their precision routines, and on Sat- urday, heads turned skyward for a spectacular Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast by the iconic Avro Lancaster bomber. Photo credit: Jonathan White NEWS IN BRIEF EAST Cheshire Eye Society hosted a special ‘Vision Day’ as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations. The charity is also planning a celebration meal at Shrigley Hall on Sunday July 5 with special guests Jack Pearce, captain of the England visually impaired rugby team and Sophie May, a multiple medal- winning paralympic cyclist. MACCLESFIELD Town Council and Cheshire East Council have teamed up to bring a new piece of play equipment to West Park to replace one of the old pieces of equipment which is coming to the end of its life and needs replacing. MORE than 200 blades were recovered during week- long county-wide effort by Cheshire Police to reduce the impact of knife crime. BOLLINGTON Town Council’s annual meeting saw Jon Weston elected as mayor with Dickie Fletcher as deputy. The meeting was also updated on ongoing efforts to retain some type of Household Waste Recycling facility in the area. STAFF from across Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service ran a range of events across the county to engage local communities. The work to deliver vital life-saving advice took place on ‘Cheshire Safety Day’. Sporting lives shared Thousands flock to rally