London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route
Cumbrian communities chosen as part of UK route
(Date of issue: Monday, 7 November 2011)
Cumbrian communities will be given a one in a lifetime
opportunity to welcome the Olympic Flame next June, as it makes its
journey around the UK.
A series of ‘host’ locations have been confirmed today (Monday,
7 November) by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and
Paralympic Games (LOCOG). Communities will be able to share in the
excitement the Relay will bring and celebrate the achievements of
the Torchbearers.
Carlisle has been chosen as one of the host cities for the
London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route. An evening celebration will
be held on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 to mark the Olympic Flame
stopping off in the city as part of its journey around the UK.
Carlisle is one of only 66 Evening Celebration locations across the
UK.
As part of the Olympic Flame’s journey through Cumbria, it will
travel through Wigton, Aspatria, Maryport, Flimby, Workington,
Whitehaven and Cockermouth. It will also travel through south of
the county - Keswick, Grasmere, Ambleside, Bowness on Windermere,
Kendal and Milnthorpe.
Over 1,000 villages, towns and cities have been announced by
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 Cumbrian local authorities to
devise the route.
Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, said:
“Plans are well underway to provide Carlisle’s ‘Global Welcome’.
We’re delighted to be part of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay
Route and we’ve been really pleased with the response from local
community groups and organisations. Carlisle will be centre stage
when the Olympic Torch enters the city next June and we want as
many community groups to come forward and be part of our
celebrations.”
Cumbria County Council, Leader Eddie Martin, said:
"I'm thrilled that Cumbria is playing its part in the build up
to the Olympics. With two of seven celebration events in the North
West taking place in county we've really got the opportunity to get
into the Olympic spirit. I'm particularly looking forward to
tracking the Olympic torch's progress through the county and we're
waiting with interest news of which Cumbrians have been selected
for the relay. For me, the Olympics is all about inspiring people,
particularly young people, to be the best they can be. That's
something I feel passionate about and why I've made supporting
young people to aspire and achieve one of the council's top
priorities."
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: “We are thrilled to confirm
that so many Cumbrian towns and villages will act as host locations
for the Olympic Flame, extending an invitation to people in the
county 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 Cumbria 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.