Carol Vorderman has revealed how her maths teacher Mr Parry was a 'game changer' both academically and politically, as she announced a new Pride of Britain initiative called Hometown Heroes. The Countdown legend, 65, grew up in North Wales in the 1960s and says she will never forget the kindness shown by Mr Parry, who she remains in touch with.
Mr Parry's Influence on Carol Vorderman
Speaking to the Mirror in her home city of Bristol, Vorderman recalled: 'I grew up in the black and white days in the 1960s, and we lived in abject poverty. I'll never forget the people that were kind to me and my mum. One was my maths teacher, Mr Parry. He was an amazing teacher, no question. But, politically, he was a game changer. He was a Welsh nationalist, and at that time the Welsh language had almost died out. It was only spoken as a first language in a tiny part of North Wales near Caernarfon and Bangor.'
She added: 'Mr Parry used to go round at night time with Mrs Parry and spray out the English road signs. Then he'd be up in front of the magistrate!' Vorderman, who received an OBE for broadcasting in 2000, said she was with Mr Parry last summer and they discussed his activism. 'It's only thanks to that tiny number of Welsh nationalists, including my Mr Parry, that the Welsh language was rescued. Now it's growing and growing and we have the Welsh language schools and so on, which are probably the most popular in Wales.'
From Wenglish to Activism
Vorderman, who first appeared on Countdown in 1982 and was the show's numbers expert for 26 years, says she speaks 'Wenglish' – a mix of Welsh and English. 'We're only three million in Wales, and the idea is that we have a million Welsh voices. But we have a thing there called Wenglish as well. I speak Wenglish, I can pop Welsh words into my conversations. I'm the Queen of Wenglish!'
Since 1999, Vorderman has presented the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises, honouring unsung heroes including children of courage, fundraisers, and those who have shown outstanding bravery.
Hometown Heroes Launch
Now Vorderman is launching a new video series called Hometown Heroes, which sees famous members of the Pride of Britain family travel to their hometowns to meet inspirational local people. The series launches tomorrow. Vorderman explained: 'Pride of Britain obviously happens once a year and then we have about 13 to 14 winners across that. But there are so many others who we want to celebrate. So, we've come up with this idea of Hometown Heroes, where someone famous can say 'this is where I live, this is what I love and these are the people who, while are unlikely ever to win a Pride of Britain award, are still heroic. They're very special to my town and my city.''
Vorderman chose Bristol, where she has lived for almost 20 years with her children Katie, 33, and Cameron, 28, and her mother. 'I adore the place, I love it because it's not judgmental,' she said. Her Hometown Heroes include inspirational campaigners at Bristol Women's Voice and Katie Sparkes, founder of Flamingo Chicks, an award-winning charity providing inclusive dance classes for disabled children and those with illnesses.
Flamingo Chicks: A Story of Magic
Katie Sparkes established Flamingo Chicks 13 years ago after her daughter Poppy, who has cerebral palsy, wanted to dance but had nowhere to go. The charity now offers classes where siblings without disabilities can also participate. Vorderman, who took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2004, joined a Flamingo Chicks class. 'I really did feel as though I was taking part in a bit of magic because it was like, blow into your hand, now rub the magic all over you. Now you're covered in magic. It was superb,' she said.
More than 60,000 children have danced with Flamingo Chicks to date. Vorderman noted: 'She's now got Flamingo Chicks all around the country, and in other countries too. She's brought complete joy to tens of thousands of people, which is remarkable, isn't it?'
The Power of Pride of Britain
Reflecting on the Pride of Britain Awards, now in their 27th year, Vorderman said: 'Here's the thing, having worked in showbiz, telly, anyway, for over 40 years, you do meet incredibly talented people. But through Pride of Britain, which is our 27th year, you meet people living relatively normal lives, if you like. And then they do these extraordinary things. I think it reminds you endlessly that to be a great person, you don't have to be rich. Usually they aren't, they're far from it. You certainly don't have to be famous. It gives me hope. It gives me hope for everyone.'
Since 2021, Vorderman has been joined on stage by co-host Ashley Banjo, 37, of dance group Diversity.
Memorable Pride of Britain Moments
Over the years, many winners have left a lasting impression. In 2018, British cave rescue divers – John Volanthen, Rick Stanton, Jason Mallinson, Chris Jewell, Josh Bratchley and Connor Roe – won the Outstanding Bravery Award for rescuing 12 boys and their football coach from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Thailand. The rescued boys surprised the team by walking out on stage to thank them.
The same year, 10-year-old Max Johnson received the Child of Courage award after campaigning for an opt-out organ donation system in England, which became known as Max and Keira's Law. Max received a new heart from Keira Ball, who died aged nine. In 2012, TV presenter Katie Piper was honoured with the Special Recognition Award for her bravery and for founding a foundation to support burns survivors after a horrific acid attack. That year, Doreen Lawrence received the Lifetime Achievement award for her fight for justice following the racist murder of her son in 1993 and her work with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.
Vorderman concluded: 'Pride of Britain is needed now more than ever. We're incredibly divided as a nation. And there are plenty of reasons to be miserable: the cost of living crisis, global uncertainty. But through it all, one thing unites us – and that is hope. And the goodness of people.'
All of the Hometown Heroes featured in the series have been nominated for a Pride of Britain Award. Nominations can be made at prideofbritain.com.
