We are delighted that Lorraine has joined our BRIT Ambassador family. Lorraine is a member of the Great Britain Disability Shooting Team and represents the UK both nationally and internationally.
“Having studied psychology at the University of Winchester, and as a trained counsellor, I know that supporting and improving young adult mental health is critically important.
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all our lives and it is a particularly challenging time for young adults and students.
I am delighted to be part of the BRIT Ambassador family and wholeheartedly support their vision to support and improve the mental health, wellbeing and fitness of all young adults and students in the UK and applaud how they are making this happen.
BRIT are unifying the education sport and charity sectors by partnering with governing bodies and working closely with universities, colleges and students throughout the UK. This collectively powerful approach is inspiring and they are making extraordinary progress to engage, enthuse and inspire vast numbers of students and young adults.
Their annual BRIT Challenge is an exciting opportunity that every UK university and college can embrace for the benefit of all their students and staff. The BRIT 2021 Challenge is inclusive and ensures that students and staff of all abilities can participate at home or on campus.
I feel honoured to be part of the BRIT Ambassador family and will encourage fellow Olympians, Paralympians and sports personalities to join me. I look forward to supporting students and staff at The University of Portsmouth, the University of Winchester and Eastleigh College, should they enter teams in the BRIT 2021 Challenge.”
Lorraine was first introduced to shooting at the Nautical Training Corps, a uniformed youth organisation in England, when she was a member of TS Ajax in Portsmouth and part of the marksmanship team. In 1997, Lorraine had a rock climbing accident that meant she had to use a wheelchair. In 2009, she took the decision to have her lower leg amputated. Since her days with the Nautical Training Corps, the next time she picked up a gun was when she took part in the LimbPower Games in 2010.
Having won lots of medals all over the world, her first gold medal was in Dubai in 2011 and this holds a special place in her heart. For Lorraine, her biggest achievement so far was winning a quota place for the Paralympic Games in Rio and coming third in Croatia in 2016 against a very competitive field which included Paralympic champions. Lorraine finished fifth in her discipline in Rio. Lorraine studied Gestait Therapy at the University of Winchester that including counselling at Eastleigh College. As a Paralympic athlete, Lorraine sees it as her duty to help encourage and inspire students to take part in sport and reach their potential. She was a sports instructor, has a degree in psychology and whilst firmly focused on the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, gives her time to visit schools and students. Lorraine claimed Great Britain’s first medal of the 2019 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup, in the United Arab Emirates, with a bronze in the women’s R8 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 final. She had qualified in fifth and finished comfortably inside the top three. Her ambition is to win a medal at the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Lorraine is also a counsellor and has supported charities in the Portsmouth area with her skills; she is also the Athlete Representative and Mental Health Champion for British Shooting and she is working along side the University of Portsmouth in the run up to Tokyo. To read more about Lorraine and the GB Shooting Team, please visit the British Shooting website.
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