73 West Midlands communities announced on the Olympic Torch Relay route
The Olympic Flame will be in the West Midlands on 24 May and 25 May 2012; on 30 May and 31 May 2012 and between 30 June and 2 July 2012
The West Midlands public are invited to start planning their welcome
Over 95% of the UK population will be within 10 miles of the Olympic Flame
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today confirmed all the communities in the West Midlands 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 the West Midlands to devise the route that will see the Olympic Flame being carried through rural villages such as Ledbury, iconic towns such as Much Wenlock and Stratford-upon-Avon and across major urban areas such as the Black Country visiting towns such as Smethwick. The Olympic Flame is set to visit every county in the West Midlands and the route achieves the optimum mix of proximity to people whilst taking in beautiful natural and urban landmarks to showcase the region around the world.
The announcement of the 1,018 villages, towns and cities on the UK route means 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.
Not only does the West Midlands route include villages, town and cities, the Olympic Torch Relay will also take in landmarks along the way and the Olympic Flame will be carried for sections of the route by a selection of modes of transport. In the West Midlands the Flame will be carried past iconic sights such as Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site in Telford and the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, as well as travelling on a Canal Boat and a Tram at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. For logistical reasons, not all the landmarks and modes of transport will be accessible to large crowds but LOCOG will continue to work with the Local Authorities and operators to ensure public access information is given in advance.
With the Olympic Flame shining a light on these different communities the Olympic Torch Relay will be an opportunity for the people of the West Midlands to connect with the Olympic Games, its values and its spirit. Many thousands of people are expected to welcome the Olympic Flame and celebrate the achievements of the Torchbearers along the route each day.
A list of the host communities in the West Midlands and other highlights announced today are available to download from here and Olympic Torch Relay images are available here. An Olympic Torch Relay animation film that gives a taste of the journey the Olympic Flame will make is available on request. 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.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: ‘I’m delighted that the Olympic Torch Relay will take the 2012 Games to almost every corner of the West Midlands and that we have achieved our ambition to take the Flame to within an hour’s journey of 95% of the population. Now everyone is invited to plan their welcome and find out where they can go to be part of this historic occasion. The Olympic Games are coming to you as the Olympic Flame gives people across the West Midlands their moment to shine.’
David Moorcroft, West Midlands for 2012 Chair said: ‘Today’s announcement is a real opportunity for communities across the West Midlands to start thinking about how they will welcome the Olympic Flame to their villages, towns and cities in 2012 and kick start their own Olympic celebrations. For many of us seeing the Olympic Torch Relay will be a once in a lifetime experience and we are delighted that 100% of the West Midlands population will be no more than 1 hour away from the Olympic Flame as it passes through our region.’
The 70 day Olympic Torch Relay, presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung, 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.
British Airways is a Supporter of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay and the Olympic Flame will arrive in the UK from Greece on 18 May 2012 on board one of its aircraft.
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.
Also launched today at www.london2012.com/getset 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 resource will launch next year to encourage schools to plan a welcome for the Olympic Flame and show support for the Torchbearers. Lloyds TSB, the official Education Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, has launched their Flame Followers schools programme which complements the Get Set resources, and gives schools once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to be right at the heart of the excitement and celebrations of the Relay.
The three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung – will help bring the Olympic Flame to the people of the UK. Together they provide an optimum mix of previous Olympic Torch Relay expertise and community based programmes to support the staging of the Relay.
James Williams, Director, Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola North West Europe and Nordics, said: ‘London 2012 will see Coca-Cola presenting the Olympic Torch Relay for the eighth time, so we know just how powerful it is at uniting a whole country in support of the world’s biggest festival of sport. In 2010, we saw far-flung communities right across Canada really come together to welcome the Olympic Flame, and now we can’t wait to bring that magic to cities, towns and villages the length and breadth of the UK. We’re very excited to be bringing music and celebration to the Relay, and to be shining a light on the best of British youth – our Coca-Cola Future Flames – throughout local communities around the UK.’
Sally Hancock, Director, 2012 Partnership and Group Sponsorship at Lloyds TSB, said: ‘As the National Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB is helping to bring the Olympic Flame closer to communities across the UK. With branches on practically every High Street we’re inviting everybody to celebrate the Relay with Lloyds TSB as it travels past their doorsteps next year. Young people and schools can also get involved through our Flame Followers programme and National School Sport Week (www.lloydstsb.com/london2012) and we’re looking forward to giving everyone the chance to share the excitement in each of these villages, towns and cities as the Flame passes through.’
Mr. Gyehyun Kwon, Vice President & Head of Worldwide Sports Marketing, Samsung Electronics, said: ‘We are extremely proud to be a Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Games. As a Worldwide Olympic Partner, Samsung will support each of the 1,000 villages, towns and cities as they celebrate their own Olympic Torch Relay moment, and help showcase the nation’s cultural landmarks along the way.’
The full UK wide list of the confirmed 1,018 villages, towns and cities can be found here and online at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelay