Friday 22 September 2017 On 7 July 2005, Martine Wright was the last person to be brought out alive from the tube train bombed in the terror attacks that claimed 52 lives across London. Her autobiography Unbroken tells the full story of how her life changed forever after that atrocity, her long rehabilitation from the loss of both legs, and the new opportunities she grasped as she found a positive way forward. Next month Martine will appear for the Ilkley Literature Festival in conversation with sports journalist Sue Mott. The event is hosted by The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL), thanks to a longstanding partnership between the school and the festival, which has just been renewed for a further three years. The audience will hear how, as well as marriage and motherhood, sport helped Martine in adjusting to her new life. She took up sitting volleyball as part of her rehabilitation and considers representing Great Britain in the Paralympics at London 2012 the highlight of her playing career. Now retired as a player, Martine is a charity fundraiser and inspirational speaker, as well as a passionate advocate for the power of sport and the rights of those with disabilities. GSAL has sponsored the Ilkley Literature Festival Children’s Festival each year from 2012, and has now entered into a new arrangement to sponsor the festival’s Spring Lecture Series from 2018 to 2020. Rachel Feldberg, festival director, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with GSAL. A long term commitment like this is essential to helping the festival continue to offer world class events and provide our year round programme of work in schools across the region. “Our partnership with GSAL has grown and developed over the years and it is wonderful that they are so supportive of the work we do and we are looking forward to the next chapter with them.” Martine will speak at GSAL on Wednesday 11 October at 7.30pm. Tickets can be booked online or by calling the box office on 01943 816714. General News Community
