Athlete Rebecca Redfern MBE has been given freedom of her hometown in celebration of her gold medal success at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

At a ceremony on Monday she was given Honorary Freeman Status of Droitwich by the town council, and said: “I’m always so thankful for the people that have gotten me to all these places and I couldn’t do it without this town.”

The swimmer was awarded an MBE for services to young people and the community in Worcestershire last year.

“I’m just on cloud nine all of the time, it seems to be one thing after another,” she joked.

“It’s one thing, representing your country and knowing that you’re doing it with the flag, but actually representing your town as well is just the most amazing thing that I can do for them.”

Redfern’s mother Katherine said the recognition was about more than her sporting achievements.

“Her achievements are so much more than in her professional career but also in the wider community she has been involved with,” she said.

“She goes to schools, clubs and charities within the town, and it is recognition of that.”

Redfern was diagnosed aged seven with a condition which limits peripheral vision, retinitis pigmentosa.

She a patron of charity Sight Concern, and said they did amazing work for visually impaired people to help them feel included and independent.

“The work Sight Concern do show that even though you’ve got these barriers, you can always overcome them,” she added.

Aida Fofana
BBC News, West Midlands

BBC Hereford & Worcester