Injured soldier's mother and riot officer join torch hopefuls
A mother whose injured soldier son inspired the Help for Heroes campaign and a special policeman on duty during the riots are the latest Londoners nominated to carry the Olympic torch.
Jessica Cheesman, 58, of New Malden, was nominated by her friend Julie Wilson, a radiographer, 48, for juggling volunteering with work and family life.
Britain's Olympic and Paralympic stars are urging Londoners to nominate everyday heroes to carry the 2012 flame.
For 15 years, Mrs Cheesman, a mother of four, has helped at Scouts, run marathons for charity and marshalled events for CHASE hospice care for children. She also runs the volunteers café at Raynes Park Little League and works for the UK Border Agency. She was "gobsmacked" to be nominated.
Her son, Stephen Vause, 24, a Rifleman with 4th Battalion the Rifles, suffered head injuries in Afghanistan four years ago. He recently said his first words since being injured: "I love you, Mum." While in hospital, he met Help for Heroes founder Bryn Parry and helped to inspire the charity campaign, his mother said.
Joining Mrs Cheesman in the torchbearers' ranks is Special Inspector John Conway, 43, who was among the many volunteer Met officers called up to police the London riots.
Mr Conway, a Transport for London enforcement manager from Hillingdon, hopes carrying the torch will boost specials recruitment. Since joining in 1992 he has clocked up more than 15,000 hours service and helped to police most major London incidents and occasions, from the July 7 bombings to royal weddings. He is top special constabulary officer in Hounslow, in charge of more than 100 colleagues.
Standard readers can nominate unsung heroes from whom five will be chosen as torchbearers, courtesy of the relay's sponsor, Lloyds TSB. Go to www.lloydstsb.com/carrytheflame and enter the code "Standard".
