The organisers of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay have announced that Basingstoke will welcome the Olympic Flame on Wednesday 11 July 2012.
The fact that Basingstoke will be welcoming the Olympic Torch on behalf of all the communities of the borough was announced by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). 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 the south east to devise the route.
The announcement of the exact route through the town and the names of the local Torchbearers will not be made until much nearer the event.
For our local Torchbearers, this will be a unique opportunity for them to be for a brief period, the focal point of the biggest sporting event on earth, something that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Our communities and our schools will have lots of opportunities get involved when the spotlight is on our borough, and in the lead up to the Olympics.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: ‘We are thrilled to confirm that Basingstoke will act as a host location for the Olympic Flame, extending an invitation to people in the 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 Basingstoke and Deane 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.
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.
Torchbearers
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. Final Torchbearer places will start to be confirmed from February 2012 onwards.
Local Leaders and Get Set for the Olympic Torch Relay initiatives
LOCOG has also launched 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.
- 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 three 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.
