Sue O'Hara on her Olympic Torch Relay

I was lucky enough to get to talk to Sue O’Hara a little while after her inspiring torch relay leg (and also appearing live on Daybreak in the morning!)

Firstly big congratulations to you Sue, I hope you’ve thoroughly enjoyed your Olympic experience. So, who nominated you to carry the torch through Eastbourne?

Vicki Jago nominated me, she has been a friend of the family for 26 years and she didn't tell me she was going to do it.

Sue with her Olympic Torch - Graham Huntley.

What was your first reaction when you heard that you had been chosen to carry the Olympic Torch?

The first I knew of it was May or June time in 2011 when Vicki told me she had nominated me. My first reaction was, I can’t run! Then I received an email telling me Vicki had nominated me, then didn't hear anything till the end of November when I was told I was chosen to carry the flame, but I wasn’t allowed to tell anybody.

Please can you tell us more about The Tuesday O’Hara fund?

The Tuesday O'Hara Fund was set up in 2007 after my daughter lost her four year battle with Leukaemia. As we found on our journey with Tuesday they are the forgotten age group and need help and support both financially and with special treats, like laptops, games consoles, holidays or a day out somewhere with loved ones. We are also using some of the money to facilitate a room in the Eastbourne DGH so it has a ‘home from home’ feel. I also found there was no support I could go and talk to, as in other parents going through same thing, so now I am quite happy for any parent to come and have a chat any time.

What are the aims of the charity and what will the money go towards?

The aims of the charity are to keep helping as many young adults as we can and when the Pevensey Ward at the DGH is built we hope to be more involved with that in anyway possible.

Great seat to watch the torch relay in Eastbourne - Graham Huntley.

Tell us more about the fun activities and events you run in order to raise money?

We have some fun events all through the year, the next one being on September 22nd which is our Hastings to Eastbourne Pier to Pier walk. Last year was a great success we had 69 people aged from 7 - 60 all showing their support for the charity. We hold quiz nights, danceathons, Halloween nights, fete stalls, we had a float in the carnival, treasure hunt, boxing day dip, people have scaled buildings and jumped out of planes had their heads shaved and legs waxed all for a great cause.

Who helped and supported you through these events?

My late husband Frank was a great organiser and all events would be like military precision movements and we have a great team working with us who all give up their free time to volunteer at the events. So a big thank you to; Vicki Jago, Jon Clarke, Paul Relf, Lynda & Colin Cannings, Mary Flynn Shirley Moth and all the others who help out.

Do you live in Eastbourne, if so how long how you lived in the town? (If not, where? Do you live nearby?)

I was born in Eastbourne and moved away for nine years when I was 17, but missed it so came back and been here now for 30 years.



Sue lighting her Olympic torch - Graham Huntley.



How have you been preparing for the big day? Are you nervous?I tried to prepare to carry the torch… I started running and dieting, but alas they didn't last when I found out I would only have to carry it 0.3 of a mile! I didn't realise the enormity of it all until the week before the 17th of July, when I was having trouble sleeping, (which usually is not a problem for me). I was getting anxious of the unknown and trying to research what it was going to be like by joining the torch bearer’s page on Facebook. On the Monday and the Tuesday morning before I had to be there I was in another world, we got up and went to Daybreak TV on the beach for 6am and I was interviewed live on TV by Gethin Jones – a great way to start the day. Then Carole Brains was holding a garden party for us so I was due to attend that and give a radio interview before I went to meet the other torch bearers.

What was it like running with the torch through your hometown of Eastbourne?
It was an amazing day, I had my daughter Tuesday's trainers on and all the other torch bearers were lovely. It is an experience I will remember and talk about for the rest of my life, I felt so over whelmed by the support from the Eastbourne people on the street where I ran - seeing family and friends and strangers just wanting to have their photo taken with me! It was a once in a lifetime event and I felt privileged to be chosen as one of the 8000. 2012 will be a year I will never forget.

Finally, 2012 is a momentous year for Britain, what lasting legacy would you like to see from these fantastic celebrations?The whole country has had much to celebrate so far this year and Eastbourne has done as much celebrating as the rest of the country. It was great to see the town so alive, I would like to see Eastbourne people come together and have many more events for us all to enjoy.

All photos by Graham Huntley.