Former Chelsea footballer Paul Canoville and Paralympic runner Tim Prendergast inspired students with their stories of overcoming adversity at a job fair today (May 12).

Paul told sport and football BTEC students from Waltham Forest College in Forest Road, Walthamstow how he played for Chelsea in the 80’s despite racist chants from the terraces.

Chelsea had among their support a number of hardcore members of far-right and neo-Nazi political groups and Canoville became an immediate and regular target for their racist abuse.

The ex-footballer, who also battled cancer and drug addiction in later life, told the students: “I wasn’t going to allow anyone to defeat my dream.”

While Tim Prendergast told students how despite having five percent vision he went on to win a gold medal at the Athens 2004 Paralympics.

At the employer’s fair hundreds of students spoke to over 20 employers including the likes of John Lewis, Novotel and Crossrail.