Tribute paid to Joan Scruton MBE

Born in 1918 in Yorkshire, she was a qualified administrator posted in 1944 to Stoke Mandeville, an Emergency Medical Centre to receive injured soldiers.

She worked with the founder of the Paralympic Games Sir Ludwig Guttmann in the spinal injuries unit. She made a huge contribution as Guttmann’s work developed, acting as Secretary-General of the two main organisations that were the precursor of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

In the late 1980's she worked with others worked to unify the various international organisations to create the IPC in 1989.

Joan died on 1 November 2007; her funeral took place today.

Tony Sainsbury, Head of the Paralympic Planning at London 2012, said: ‘Joan’s contribution to the Paralympic movement is incalculable.

'Probably the saddest aspect of this incredible lady's life is that she never realised or understood that the Games she helped to mould would be coming home in 2012 - had she known there would have been a huge party with Joan right in the middle.’