A paralympic medalist has returned to his Swindon school to inspire children and leave them with a “generous” gift.

Ben Fox specialised in wheelchair basketball after leaving Commonweal School in Old Town, and this year won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics after a 2020 bronze in Tokyo.

He presented his signed top from Paris and told students about his journey from Swindon to Paralympic success.

Commonweal headteacher, Charles Drew, said: “The students were spellbound for a whole hour listening to him and asking questions.(Image: Commonweal School)

“I think especially for those in our PI (physical impairment) unit, to hear how he went from Commonweal student to elite athlete was really brilliant and inspiring.”

As well as gifting his winning top, the now 29-year-old Ben passed his medal round, which was “surprisingly big and heavy”.

Charles described Ben as “an all-round sportsman” at Commonweal, taking part in cricket, the ski trip, and wheelchair basketball.

“He talked about a chance meeting with a wheelchair basketball coach who said to him really inspiring things that made him think that was the sport to go for out of all of the others”, recounted Charles.

“He was always a young man with a really outgoing attitude and he would ever go absolutely anything.”

The headteacher remembers teaching Ben back at school, and seeing him now makes him feel “just delighted” having watched all his games.(Image: Commonweal School)

“We were proud and actually rather humbled by everything he's achieved and how hard he's worked to achieve it”, he said.

Ben’s ambition has seen him move from bronze to silver, and his aspirations have not ended there, as he targets gold in Los Angeles 2028. He already won gold in the 2019 European Championships in Poland.

As Charles said: “He came in a few years ago after the last Olympics where he won a bronze. He said I'm going to go back and get a better one. And he said it again this time.

“If he were to win a gold medal in four years, that would just be the most fantastic thing.”

As well as a special experience for students, it was a chance for Ben to revisit his roots. He spoke to his old, now retired, tutor Mrs Clark, 

Charles said: “He just had the kindest things to say about the school as a whole, particularly the PI unit.”