{{short description|British thalidomide survivor and painter}} <!-- Please do not remove or change this AfD message until the discussion has been closed. --> {{Article for deletion/dated|page=Lorraine Mercer|timestamp=20260601091009|year=2026|month=June|day=1|substed=yes|help=off}} <!-- Once discussion is closed, please place on talk page: {{Old AfD multi|page=Lorraine Mercer|date=1 June 2026|result='''keep'''}} --> <!-- End of AfD message, feel free to edit beyond this point --> {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} thumb|Mercer, 2012, Crowborough
'''Lorraine Mercer''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MBE}} is a British thalidomide survivor, painter, lace maker, and carriage driver with the RDA.
Mercer was a representative of the global thalidomide community as a bearer of the Olympic Torch in 2012 for her country.<ref>{{Cite news|title='No limbs? No Limits!' says Olympic torchbearer Lorraine|newspaper=Mid Sussex Times|date=5 July 2012|url=http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/local/no-limbs-no-limits-says-olympic-torchbearer-lorraine-1-4020779|access-date=27 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304115816/https://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/local/no-limbs-no-limits-says-olympic-torchbearer-lorraine-1-4020779|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Tamplin>{{Cite news|last=Tamplin|first=Harley|title=Mid Sussex residents honoured by Queen|newspaper=Mid Sussex Times|date=12 June 2015|url=http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/local/mid-sussex-residents-honoured-by-queen-1-6795898|access-date=27 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083416/https://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/local/mid-sussex-residents-honoured-by-queen-1-6795898|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Her chariot was adapted to carry the Olympic torch safely above her head away from the oxygen she needs.
In 2015, Mercer was appointed MBE for community services with the lonely at the local hospital in Mid-Sussex.<ref name="Tamplin" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Imms|first=Adrian|title=Outstanding members of the community on the Queen's Birthday list|newspaper=The Argus|date=13 June 2015|url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/13330154.Outstanding_members_of_the_community_on_the_Queen___s_Birthday_list/|access-date=27 December 2015}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Refbegin}}
==Sources== * {{Cite news|last=Laurance|first=Jeremy|title=Thalidomide victims still fighting for justice 35 years on|newspaper=The Independent|date=8 October 2009|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/thalidomide-victims-still-fighting-for-justice-35-years-on-1799958.html|access-date=27 December 2015}} {{Refend}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, Lorraine}} Category:Living people Category:British amputees Category:British painters Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:People from Haywards Heath Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
{{England-bio-stub}} {{Disability-stub}} {{UK-activist-stub}}