Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games, a North Yorkshire-based business hosted the biggest Olympic Assembly on 3 July 2024. 427,323 children from across the UK were welcomed to the online assembly by Joe Wicks and David Walliams, before hearing from Stef Reid MBE, a four-time Paralympian who became a single-leg amputee following a boating accident.

Hosted by North Yorkshire-based Picture News and its founder, Katie Harrison, Stef’s captivating session shared her incredible story of resilience and determination and how she never gave up on her dreams of becoming an athlete. Stef donned her Team GB clothing, showed her Paralympic medal, discussed her mental recovery and discrimination following the accident, and shed light on life with a prosthetic leg. She also included a video of her competing in the Long Jump T44 final at the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

Katie Harrison, co-founder and director of Picture News said: “We had big ambitions for our Olympic online assembly for schools, but the event itself surpassed them all and was one of our greatest achievements here at Picture News! We know that Stef’s lessons of resilience and self-belief will stay with the children (and adults) for years to come. We hope we managed to inspire a generation of children to watch and cheer on Team GB in Paris this summer!”

Stef Reid MBE added: “I remember what it’s like to have someone come to your school and share something really cool that they did – it felt like I was being given permission to think bigger and dream bigger. And my dreams felt more real because a real person had just stood in front of me and told me their story. It was really special to share a morning with students all across the UK, and I hope that the assembly and all the incredible sport they are going to watch this summer inspires them to try new things and say yes to new experiences!”