WHEELCHAIR rugby star Aaron Phipps has celebrated his 39th birthday by opening a Hampshire play park named after him.
Children from two schools sang happy birthday as Aaron performed the ceremony at the new facility, which is next door to Calmore Community Centre.
Aaron helped the British wheelchair rugby team win gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, held last year after being postponed by the pandemic.
As reported in the Daily Echo, the Totton resident was made an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours.
Aaron was 15 when he lost both legs below the knees, plus the tips of his fingers, after contracting meningitis in 1999.
Determined to overcome his disability he started competing in wheelchair racing in 2007. He was subsequently introduced to wheelchair rugby and first represented Team GB at the London 2012 Paralympics.
Four years later he became the first disabled person to climb Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, without assistance.
When his off-road wheelchair was unable to cope with the increasingly rough terrain he vowed to crawl the rest of the way on his hands and knees.
Aaron, whose birthday is on April 7, is an ambassador for the Meningitis Research Foundation, for which he has raised more than £250,000 over the years.
The opening of the play park was attended by Neville Penman, chairman of Totton and Eling Town Centre.
Addressing pupils from Calmore infant and junior schools he said: "Aaron Phipps was a local boy attending school just up the road from here when he had the misfortune of contracting a very serious illness.
"He survived but was faced with many obstacles to overcome. Overcome them he did. Each challenge was faced up to and fought against."
The play park's gate has been painted gold in honour of Aaron's achievement at the Paralympics.
Cllr Penman added: "When you go through the gate into the play area you can remember our local hero who has done so much to honour our community."
Posting on social media after the ceremony he added: "Today I met my hero. He is a true gentleman and gives so much inspiration to others."
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