Tanni was christened Carys Davina Grey but when her sister saw her for the first time she referred to her as ‘tiny’, pronouncing it ‘tanni’- the nickname stayed. She was born with spina bifida. (Spina bifida is when a baby’s spine and spinal cord do not develop properly in the womb - causing a gap in the spine.) This did not stop her from enjoying and competing in sports. As a young athlete she competed in wheelchair basketball. Tanni became an outstanding GB Paralympic champion in wheelchair racing, winning 11 gold medals over 100-800 metres between 1992-2004, plus 4 silver and 1 bronze medals. She broke/held over 30 world records and won the London Marathon 6 times between 1992-2002. She retired from competing on 27th February 2007 Tanni continues to be an inspiration for disabled athletes. Her contribution to inclusivity and equal rights for the disabled resulted in her becoming The Right Honourable The Baroness Grey-Thompson in the 2012 New Year’s honours list. Her autobiography Seize the Day was published in 2001. Sources Wikipedia Women in Sport by Rachel Ignotofsky

In 1908 Florence Madeline (Madge) Caves became Great Britain’s first female Olympic figure skater . In those days, during the winter, men and women enjoyed figure skating but women were not allowed to compete in competitions- they thought it would cause too much stress on a woman’s weak body. Madge was such an amazing skater that she gained notoriety and respect from the skating community to become an Olympic champion gold medalist. Men only took part in competitions before Madge competed - officials checked the rules to try to stop her but found there was no explicit rules to exclude women. She became a regular at the Prince’s Skating Club in Knightsbridge. In 1899 Madge met Edgar Syers (18 years her senior). Together they competed in pairs competitions and in 1900 they came second in one of the first pairs events staged in Berlin. Also in 1900 they got married. Edgar became her coach and started to teach her the more fluid International style. In 1902 she entered to compete in the Championships in in London which was regarded as an all male event. They reluctantly allowed her to compete and she came second. The winner Ulrich Salchow was so impressed by her performance that he offered her his gold medal. In 1903 the ISU Congress voted 6 to 3 in barring women from the championship!! In 1905 the ISU Congress established a separate ladies’ event- held at a different date and venue from the men’s event. Madge won the first two events. The Summer Olympics in London in 1908 saw Madge compete as an individual and in the pairs event with her husband Edgar. Madge won the gold; together they won bronze. Madge retired after the Olympics due to fading health. She died of heart failure on 9th September 1917 The Syers produced 2 books The Book of Winter Sports (1908) The Art of Skating (1913) Her bravery and excellence helped future women show their talents to the world. Besides being a proficient figure skater she was a gifted swimmer and equestrienne. Sources used Wikipedia and *Women in Sport * by Rachel Ignofsky

Dame Katherine Granger began rowing in 1993 while attending university in Edinburgh. She competed in both the double and quadruple skulls, plus the coxless pairs. In 2000, at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia, medals were awarded to females for the first time in rowing- she won a silver in the quadruple skulls event. For a number of Olympics she gained medals but it was not until 2012 that she won gold in the double sculls with her partner Anna Watkins. I n 2012 she was the first female to win medals at 4 consecutive Olympic games. In 2016, in Rio, she won a further silver medal with Victoria Thornley after having a break of 2 years from the sport! In the 2017 New Years Honours list Katherine was awarded a DCM (Dame Commander of the British Empire) for services to sport and charity.

Dame Ellen Patricia MacArthur on the 7th February 2005 broke the world record for a single-handed, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe with a time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds. The very next day she became a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) and granted the rank of Honorary Lieutenant Commander, Royal Naval Reserve on the same day Born in 1976 she went on a yacht for the first time aged just 4. Aged 8 she began saving up for a boat of her own! Aged 18 she sailed solo around Great Britain . Aged 20 she raced across the Atlantic. Aged 29 she sailed solo no-stop around the world in her trimaran B&Q/Castorama. (Read her Professional Sailing Career and Sailing Records)- it is incredible what she achieved. Ellen retired in 2009 having set up many sailing records along the way. In 2003 she set up the Ellen MacArthur Trust (now the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust) to help 8-24 year olds to regain confidence while recovering from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illnesses. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which promotes the use on the circular economy, was launched in 2010. It does this by developing and promoting the concept of recycling rubbish to make new products by working with business, policy makers and academics. This world, that I thought as a child was the biggest, most adventurous place you could image, is not that big, and there’s an awful lot of us on it. Ellen MacArthur Sources used Wikipedia Women of Sport by Rachel Ignotofsky

Jonathan was a North American revivalist preacher, philosopher and Congregationalist theologian. he is regarded as one the USA’s most important and original philosophical theologians. He played a critical role in shaping the First Great Awakening (1735-7), (1740-4). His theological work gave rise to a distinct school of theology known as the New England theology. Jonathan was the fifth of 11 children - the other 10 were all girls. His father, Timothy, was a pastor at East Windsor, Connecticut. He grew up in an atmosphere of Puritan piety, affection and learning. Following rigorous home schooling he entered Yale College in New Haven aged 13. He was converted at the age of 17 as he read 1 Timothy 1 v17 All honour and glory to God for ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies;he alone is God. Following this he had a delightful conviction of divine sovereignty to a new sense of God’s glory revealed in Scripture and in nature. He graduated in 1720 from Yale and stayed a further 2 years to study Divinity. Briefly he was a pastor in New York (1722-3) and received a MA degree. !724-6 he was a tutor at Yale. In 1727 he became his grandfather’s colleague at Northampton and married Sarah Pierrepont (they had 11 children). On his grandfather’s death in 1729 he became the sole occupant of the pulpit. He stayed at Northampton until his dismissal concerning a dispute who should take Holy Communion. He was there for over 20 years. On July 1st 1750 he preached his dignified and restrained ’ Farewell- sermon’. This was followed by 2 books explaining his position. On his termination at Northampton he began missionary work in Stockbridge, Massachusetts working with Indians. Although hampered by language difficulties, illness , Indian wars and conflicts with personal enemies he discharged his pastoral duties. This is where he wrote his most famous book The Freedom of the Will (1754). In 1757 he was invited to be president of the College of New Jersey-now Princeton University. He had hardly assumed duties when he contracted smallpox and died aged 55. (He was inoculated against smallpox and 5 weeks later caught the disease from the vaccine.) So ended the life of the man who was arguably USA’s greatest theologian. His writings, expounding and defending the evangelical and Reformed faith are of lasting value to the Christian church. American historian , Perry Miller said that Jonathan is the * greatest philosopher-theologian yet to grace the American scene.* His entire corpus of Jonathan’s works are available on line. Sarah Edwards His wife raised their 11 children largely by herself. Jonathan focused on sermons and books. She was a hands-on parent who raised the children and ran the household, providing an agreeable and pleasant life for the family. Sources Gold from Dark Mines Irene Howat ch5 p109-p140 wikipedia Britannica Online Encyclopedia Great Leaders of the Christian Church Woodbridge

Selina Shirley was born into a ‘distinguished’ dysfunctional family. Troubles had followed the Shirley family for generations. her grandfather, Sir Robert had died in the Tower of London. Her father, a second Robert, was born shortly before his father was imprisoned. In 1671, aged 20, he married Elizabeth Washington. They had at least 11 children in 22 years of marriage. Elizabeth died in 1693 leaving 9 motherless children. Robert quarreled with all his children. In 1699 he married again and had 6 more children who survived childhood. The first girl in this second marriage, Elizabeth, had Queen Anne as her godmother. Selina was born in 1707. Aged 10 she learned her father had been left a derisory £20 in her grandfather’s will (others in the family had £5,000). In 1728, aged 20, she married Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, who was 12 years older than Selina. In the first 10 years of their 18 years of happy married life they had 7 children, 6 survived. Theophilus died in 1746. On 21st April 1730 she one of the 21 aristocratic women who supported Thomas Coran in establishing the Founding Hospital. In 1739 she joined the first Methodist society in Fetters Lane, London. In July she was converted. From her bed, she lifted up her heart to the Saviour with this important prayer and immediately all her distress and fears were removed, and she was filled with peace and joy believing. Gold from Dark Mines p98. From 1746 she became a financial supporter for the Methodist movement led by John and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield. George became her chaplain. She was responsible for founding 64 chapels and contributed to the funding of others. She also founded Trevecca ministers’ college near Talgarth in Mid Wales ( since 1972 the United Reformed Church). She played a prominent part in the religious revival of the 18th century and the Methodist movement in England and Wales. Selina was a woman who allegedly suffered from poor health. She visited Bath to ‘take the waters’ on a number of occasions. After her conversion in 1739 her health improved dramatically, Sources Gold from Dark Mines by Irene Howat ch2 pages 77-108 Wikipedia

Henrietta Mears had a significant impact on evangelical Christianity in the 20th century. She was one of the founders of the National Sunday school Association. .Within two years Sunday school attendance at Hollywood ‘Pres’ was averaging 4,200. She founded a publishing company and wrote and published a number of books- see list She had profound impact on the ministries of Billy Graham and Richard C. Halverson. She also believed by many theologians to have directly shaped Bill Bright’s Four Spiritual Laws, which defined modern evangelism in the 20th century. She was a gifted educator and was known as ‘Teacher’ by those in her programme. Wikipedia have done an excellent biography. I have also included Richard C. Halverson 's visit to Miss Henrietta Mears cabin.

Bill Bright was an American evangelist. With his wife, Vonette, he set out to help bring students to Christ. Bill and his male colleagues concentrated on the male students: Vonette concentrated on the female intake. In 1951 at the University of California , Los Angeles he founded Campus Crusade for Christ as a ministry for university students. He worked with the great American evangelist Billy Graham. Campus Crusade expanded and in 2011 had 25,000 missionaries in 191 countries… He was influenced by Henrietta Mears who probably helped in the forming of Bill Bright’s Four Spiritual Laws. He wrote over 100 books and booklets. His articles and pamphlets have been translated into many languages and distributed in their millions! I have included Wikipedia’s biography of Bill Bright plus the Four Spiritual Laws.

Eva was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Her parents were both majors in the Salvation Army. Evangeline Evelyn Burrows was named after the daughter of William Booth , the founder of the Salvation Army. When she was born her father lifted her up and declared * I dedicate this child to the glory of God and the salvation of the world.* General Eva was the second woman to lead the international Salvation Army. She carried the banner back to Eastern Europe after the fall of Communism. During her 7 year tenure she rekindled the 150 year old organisation original goal of evangelising. insisting We don’t use social services as a bait to fish for converts. She was well known for her quotes. The salvation Army seeks by god’s grace to save people from the mess they make of their lives. Wikipedia.org have created a very good resume of her life. This I have included plus a couple of her quotes.

Percy gave his life to Christ under the preaching of William P. Nicholson -(see account of his conversion) Percy was an evangelist who especially emphasized youth ministry . With his wife, Ruth, a gifted musician, and a quartet often travelled 40-50,000miles a year. In 1949 Percy began the first coast-to -coast religeous programme, Youth on the March Percy Crawford during the late 1950’s saw the potential of FM radio and UHF television and built the first successful Christian broadcasting network. He also founded King’s college and Pinebrook, a Bible conference centre in the Pocono Mountains. I have used Wikepedia for his biography, Percy’s own account of his conversion , and the cover page covers his main interest of reaching the youth.

'In the Salvation Army, and in every place where he was known, Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle was loved. No name is more revered among Salvationists than his, for there has been no soldier more saintly nor officer more spiritually effective than this quiet-spoken prophet of god.' They Found the Secret by V. Raymond Edman Samuel was brought up by his mother. He became a Methodist minister. He decided to join the Salvation Army in his thirtiesand came over to the UK… He met General Booth on June 1st 1887 who thought he belonged to the dangerous classes. He started him at the bottom cleaning boots! he remembered that Jesus washed the disciples feet. He returned to the USA and was assaulted in Boston - he was hit by a brick. It took him a year and a half to recover - in this time he started writing for the War Cry. The result became a little volume called Helps for Holiness -128 pages. 'Well, if there had been no brick, there would have been no little book.' He was in the Salvation Army for 30 years. Aged 76 he found that the life of God continued to flow through a cleansed heart. I have included Wikipedia’s information about Samuel, plus pages for the book The Brick and the Book (The story of Samuel Logan Brengle) written by Eric Coward.

Andrew Murray was born in South Africa, educated in Scotland, and returned to South Africa. he spent 60 years as a minister in the Dutch reformed Church of South Africa. He wrote over 200 books on Christian spirituality and ministry. May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love, and joy of God’s presence. He had real charisma - read the observation enclosed. I have included a brief biography of his life plus the observation. The observation can be found in V. Raymond Edman’s book They Found the Secret - 20 Transformed lives p144.

W. Ian Thomas was an evangelist, Christian evangelical writer, theological teacher and founder of the Torchbearers Bible school. He gave his life to Christ as a teenager but he had approached things in the wrong way relying on his own energy. One November night, in despair, having tried to do it his way for seven years, he knelt in prayer. He needed to realise that God wanted to live through him. This changed his whole philosophy. I got up the next morning to an entirely different Christian life. I have used Wikipedia for information about his life and the founding of Torchbearers

John Hyde (1865-1912) became known as Praying Hyde - he gave great emphasis to prayer. He went as a missionary to India. He was partially deaf and he had problems initially in learning the native languages. He struggled initially to find converts but through prayer he began leading his fellow missionaries in intercession for India. He formed the Punjab Prayer Union. He put forward five pointers to help other leaders to pray At one of his meetings where he was supposed to be leading the talk he spent more time in prayer than in speaking. I thank God, He has given me no message for you today Thereupon the chairman added, The Holy Spirit is the leader of this meeting. Towards the end of his life he visited England. He took up the burden o prayer to help John Wilbur Chapman to succeed in Shrewsbury. My sources are Wikipedia, Ambassadors for Christ, The Christian Broadcasting Network and They Found the Secret by V. Raymond Edman.

Billy Sunday (1892-1935) was a baseball player who became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist at the beginning of the 20th century. In either the 1886 or 1887 baseball season, while in Chicago, he went with several of his team mates into town. They listened to a gospel preaching team from the Pacific Garden Mission. He started to attend services and after a struggle decided to become a Christian. After his conversion he changed his behaviour and shortly afterwards began speaking in churches. In 1893 he became the full-time assistant to John Wibur Chapman, a well known evangelist. When Chapman unexpectedly returned to the pastorate in 1896 Billy struck on his own. For 12 years he preached in 70 communities. Taking advantage of his reputation as a baseball player he generated advertising for his meetings. He became the nation’s most famous evangelist with his colloquial sermons and frenetic delivery. Sunday was a supporter of Prohibition and played a significant role in the adoption of the 18th amendment. Wikipedia main source for this information

John Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918) was one of the best known evangelists in the USA . Chapman was well educated and was a meticulous dresser. He took on several pastorates before shifting to the evangelist circuit . He began preaching with the legendary D.L. Moody in 1893. In the same year Billy Sunday, a former baseball player, became his full-time assistant. In 1904 he began work on an evangelistic campaign to maximize the efforts of his 51 evangelists. In 1907 he launched the Chapman-Alexander Simultaneous Campaign with the gospel singer Charles McCallon Alexander. In 1909 the world wide campaign include Australia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, China and Japan. These campaigns continued until 1918. In his life time he wrote at least 25 books (see list). Wikipedia was main source for this information

Victor Raymond Edman was an American minister and author who served as the fourth President of Wheaton College in Illinois from 1941 to 1965. H e spoke in various countries around the world and wrote 19 books. In his book They Found a Secret , under the title of A Personal Epilogue, he wrote about three crisis in his personal life. Crisis one happened after the Armistic on Novemer 11th, 1918. He was ill and exhausted but he had been assigned the task of taking 4 men of the B Company of the 28th Infantry to C. Company. He found a quiet place and prayed for guidance .He became aware of a presence beside him who said I will go with you.When he arrived at his destination he was well cared for. (pages177/8). The second crisis happened 5 years later when he was stricken down with typhus fever in the Andes of Ecuador… He knew he was dying. His new wife dyed her wedding dress black and a native coffin ordered. But there were others praying, with urgency in their petitions thirty-five hundred miles away, in Newton, Massachusetts on his behalf (p 178/180). The third crisis happened one August morning of 1928. He was on board a freighter bound for New York City. Once again he was ill - 'my physical condition kept me confined to the stateroom, except for brief occasions.' He was perplexed -and uncertain what to do. Quoting from the book. ‘The answer to his prayer was startling. By the small voice of the Holy Spirit there came the question Are you willing to go any where for me?’ (p 182). I have included Wikipedia’s information about V. Raymond Edman and the last four pages of his Personal Epilogue.

Pandita Ramabai was born into the highest caste of Brahmins in India but she spent her early life in poverty. In 1876/7 there was a famine and she lost her father, mother and sister. In 1880 her brother died and she married Biipin Behart Medhvi, a lawyer froma lower caste. They had a daughter Manorama. Her husband died in 1882. She moved to Pune and founded Atya mahila Samaj - a women’s society to help widowed women. Girls were getting married at a very early age -as early as 3 years of age, often to elderly men, who died. She estimated in 1880 there were 23 million widows in India She became very much involved in women’s rights. She battled for the care of widows and the prohibition of child marriages. She came to England in 1883 for further training at Cheltenham Ladies College. She was baptised that year. She then spent time in the USA. In 1887 the Ramabai Association was formed in Boston. She returned to India in 1889 and opened Sarada Sadan , the Home of Wisdom. She had very strong opposition although she agreed to no open proselytizing - no talk of Christianity. In 1993 leading Hindu reformers resigned from her board and she was able to openly invite students to follow Christ. In 1896 there was another sever famine. With limited resources 100’s arrived. Then cholera swept the town. She moved 30 miles away and built Muki Sadan -Place of Salvation. Her legacy is in the lives of people she helped to transform. She hoped her daughter would carry on but she died in 1921. Paandita was broken hearted - she was now almost deaf. She died on April 6th 1922. The work of the mission continues - Muld Sadan is now called the Pandita Rambai Muti Mission in honour of her memory. My sources for this information are Wikipedia, Mukti Missions and Ambassadors for Christ. I have included a picture showing the origins of caste.

Frances was an English religious poet and hymn writer. She was affectionately called ‘Fannie’ by her family and friends. She was the youngest of 6 children. Her father, William Havergal, was an Anglican clergyman. Her hymns were published either during her life time or after she had died of peritonitis at the young age of 42 . The glow of her testimony continues to reach Christian hearts everywhere. The glory and peace of the exchanged life is beautifully stated in her triumphant hymns . V. Raymond Edman in They Found a Secret. My sources for this information are Wikipedia, stempublishing.com and They Found a Secret.

George Haliburton Hume- better known as George Basil Hume. He took the name Basil, when aged 18, he took his final vows as a monk in1945 He was a surprise choice to be named a cardinal in 1976. He proved to be** an outstanding popular Archbishop of Westminster whose sincerity and expertly judged public pronouncement strengthen both the reputation and the self confidence of Roman catholics in England and Wales** Daiiy Telegraph.