Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson honoured with National Lottery Lifetime Achievement Award

The 25th Birthday National Lottery Awards are the annual search for the UK’s favourite National Lottery funded people and projects and celebrate the inspirational exploits of the ordinary people who do extraordinary things with National Lottery support.

Reflecting on the 25-year legacy of the National Lottery, this is the first time The National Lottery has presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to an individual. The accolade honours and recognises an outstanding person who has been supported by the National Lottery and has made a significant contribution to society over a number of years.

Cardiff born Welsh athlete, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, was presented with the Award by Olympic hero Sir Chris Hoy MBE, Great Britain’s joint-most successful Olympic athlete of all time.

During her competitive and illustrious sporting career, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson amassed a remarkable medal haul over 16 years. She won a total of 16 Paralympics medals, including 11 golds, held over 30 World Records, and won the London Marathon six times. She was supported through the National Lottery funded World Class Programme, which affords athletes coaching, training, and competition support, medical, technology and scientific services. After her retirement from competition in 2007, she became a television presenter and a coach and mentor to young athletes, both disabled and able-bodied.

A politics graduate, she has been active in public life, working both in sports and public administration. Made a Dame in 2005, she was created a life-peer as Baroness Grey-Thompson in 2010 and sits in the House of Lords, actively contributing to the work of the House and representing the rights of those facing barriers and adversity.