A Champion in Every Sense - Buxton Pays Tribute to Teacher Antony Gray |
For 27 years, Antony Gray inspired thousands of young people at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy, a legacy, says his headteacher, that will live on "long after the final whistle." |
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Some teachers leave a mark that lasts a lifetime. Antony Gray was one of them. The former PE teacher at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy in Buxton, who has died at the age of 56 following an illness, is being remembered by former pupils, colleagues and the wider community as a man who shaped thousands of lives through his passion, commitment and quiet dedication.
Gray joined the academy's PE department in September 1997 and spent 27 years at the school before taking early retirement in 2024. In that time, he championed sporting excellence not just within the school's walls but across the wider High Peak, leading a sports partnership programme that connected schools across the area. He ran what his headteacher described as "probably thousands" of extra-curricular clubs, fixtures and events, giving up his own time, year after year, so that young people could play, compete and grow.
Outside of school, Gray was a keen sportsman and fitness enthusiast who competed in Ironman events across the globe, travelling as far as Hawaii to take part. He met his wife, Shelley, while working at the academy, and the couple welcomed a daughter together.
Head teacher David Redfern said: "During his years as a teacher, he inspired and shaped the lives of thousands of young people, passing on not only his love of sport and fitness, but also the values that underpin them. We remember Antony not only as a fantastic teacher and devoted family man, but as a truly exceptional man who gave so much to others, a champion in every sense of the word, whose legacy will continue to inspire long after the final whistle."
Antony Gray. A champion in every sense.
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