ON July 6 the Olympic Torch came to our wonderful borough and the crowds turned out in Grays.

Thurrock’s chief executive, Graham Farrant, said how proud he’d felt and many spoke of a fantastic sense of community.

This past fortnight I have been talking to my local primary schools about the heroic Eric Liddell, who won the 400 metres for Great Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics, despite taking the difficult decision not to enter his chosen 100 metres because the heats were on a Sunday.

Eric was inspired by the Bible text “Those who honour me, I will honour” (1 Samuel 2: 30) given to him just before the race and he took the outside lane to win in 47.6 seconds, a new Olympic and world record.

God indeed honours those who honour him and makes heroes of many of us, not necessarily in the public eye or in the limelight. Heroes and heroines can be found in kitchens, schools and factories too.

Those I most admire are those who will represent their countries later this year in the Paralympic Games and so I am happy to here pay tribute to a local lass who will be entering club throw and shot.

She opened the Stanford Festival this year and many of us have been praying for her success. Told you I’d tell everyone Gemma! Congratulations and God bless you!