THe grandson of the founder of the Paralympic Games gave a talk about his grandfather's life at a synagogue.
Woodford Liberal Synagogue in Marlborough Road, South Woodford heard on Sunday how Sir Ludwig Guttman, a leading neurologist, escaped Nazi Germany and came to England in 1939.
Sir Ludwig Guttman began researching neurosurgery at Stoke Mandeville in Aylsebury, a spinal injury unit set up during WWII, and it was there that he recognised that sport could play a vital part in rehabilitation.
In 1948 Stoke Mandeville held it's first games, the same year as London last hosted the Olympics, and by 1952 the games were international.
The talk was given by Sir Ludwig's grandson, Dr Mark Loeffler.
Rabbi Richard Jacobi said: "It was such an interesting and informative talk, we have all learned so much about Sir Ludwig Guttman."
Dr Loeffler ended the talk by showing pictures of modern paralympians, highlighting the importance of sport.
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