Olympic torch comes to Bridgend
November 8, 2011 No Comments
As the build up to London 2012 continues, it has been announced that Bridgend County Borough has been selected to host the Olympic Torch Relay Route on Saturday 26 May 2012.
Nantymoel, Ogmore Vale, Bryncethin, Bridgend, Laleston and Pyle are the communities that the relay route will pass through.
Residents from across the borough are being encouraged to share in the celebrations and welcome the Olympic Flame and the achievements of the Torchbearers as they pass through these areas.
Nantymoel, Ogmore Vale, Bryncethin, Bridgend, Laleston and Pyle are six of over 1,000 villages, towns and cities announced by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) through which the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay which is presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. LOCOG has worked closely with representatives from a number of sectors in South Wales to devise the route.
Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, Councillor Mel Nott said: “This is a very exciting time for residents and local communities in Bridgend County Borough. Seeing the Olympic Flame as it passes through is an opportunity for us all to celebrate and share in the spirit of the Olympics whilst marking the countdown to the start of the games in July 2012.
“I’d encourage everyone to support the members of our community who have been chosen to run through the borough with the Olympic Flame by joining in the celebrations on 26 May.
“I’m especially hoping that our young people will support the Torch Relay as it passes through our communities. For many of them this will be the first Olympic Games they remember which is why I was excited to come to Bryncethin Primary to share our good news and encourage the pupils to cheer on the Flame next May.”
He added: “Bridgend County Borough Council is also hosting the Olympic Following the Flame exhibition which is a celebration of Wales’ contribution to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Bridgend has a strong history of producing some of sport’s biggest names from Lyn The Leap to JPR and the exhibition will be open to the public from 31 October to 11 January 2012.
“We are also looking forward to Paul Deighton, Chief Executive of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games visiting Bridgend later this month where we will able to show him how Bridgend is embracing London 2012.”
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: ‘We are thrilled to confirm that Nantymoel, Ogmore Vale, Bryncethin, Bridgend, Laleston and Pyle will act as host locations for the Olympic Flame, extending an invitation to people in Bridgend County Borough to welcome the Olympic Torch Relay during its journey around the UK. This is the UK’s moment to shine and I want to encourage people across Bridgend County Borough to start planning how they can be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity and show their support for the inspirational Torchbearers chosen to carry the Olympic Flame as we count down to the start of the Olympic Games.
The 70 day Olympic Torch Relay, will start at Land’s End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land’s End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.
In announcing the villages, towns and cities LOCOG has realised the aspiration of taking the Olympic Flame to within an hour’s journey time of 95% of the population. In fact, over 95% of the population will be within just 10 miles of the Olympic Flame next summer. The street by street detail of the route will be confirmed next year.
People are invited to view the interactive map at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelaymap to find their nearest community through which the Olympic Flame will be carried.
On the final day of the Olympic Torch Relay, it is LOCOG’s intention that the Olympic Flame will travel down the River Thames as it makes its way to the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The Olympic Flame will be carried across the UK by 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers each of whom will have a story of personal achievement and/or contribution to the local community. In December this year, successful nominees will be contacted with a conditional offer and final Torchbearer places will start to be confirmed from February 2012 onwards.
Today LOCOG launches two new public participation programmes. The ‘Local Leaders’ initiative is an invitation to people to take the 2012 Games into their community and create their own celebrations next year, for the Olympic Torch Relay and other key moments during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. People are encouraged to sign up to the Local Leader programme at www.london2012.com/localleaders to receive further information on a range of themed celebration ideas focusing on the Opening Ceremony evening, gardening, quizzes and barbecues and be in the front row to receive free London 2012 event materials to support events.
Also launched today is the ‘Get Set for the Olympic Torch Relay’ education resource, available to all schools registered with Get Set, London 2012’s official education programme. The aim of the resource is to provide schools with cross-curricular resources aimed at teachers working with 3 to 16 year olds to aid learning around history of Olympic Torch Relays, the design of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay and the Torch itself. A further education resource will launch next year to encourage schools to plan a welcome for the Olympic Flame and show support for the Torchbearers.
Lloyds TSB, official Education Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, have launched their Flame Followers schools programme which compliments the Get Set resources, and gives schools once-in-a-lifetime opportunities be right at the heart of the excitement and celebrations of the Relay.
PIC: Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, Cllr Mel Nott with school children from Bryncethin Primary School celebrating the torch relay announcement.
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