Stratford-on-Avon District welcomes the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route

Stratford-on-Avon District Council is proud to confirm that on Sunday 1 July 2012, the Olympic Flame will reach a number of communities in Stratford-on-Avon District who will have the honour of seeing the Olympic Flame pass through.

The communities in Stratford-on-Avon District are:

• Earlswood
• Alcester
• Newbold-on-Stour
• Alderminster and
• Stratford-upon-Avon

The communities make up five 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 Stratford-on-Avon District to devise the route.

Cllr Chris Saint, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council says: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the residents of our District to experience an Olympic Torch relay and share in the Olympic spirit on the countdown to the start of the Games.  I feel immensely proud that it is passing through our wonderful District as part of its journey to the Olympic Stadium in 2012."

David Moorcroft, West Midlands for 2012 Chair said: “What fantastic news for the residents of Stratford-on-Avon District that they will have their opportunity to welcome the Olympic Flame on 1 July 2012. We encourage communities to start thinking now about how they will celebrate as the Olympic Torch Relay, a once in a lifetime experience for many of us, signals the approach of the London 2012 Olympic Games."

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: 'We are thrilled to confirm that Earlswood, Alcester, Newbold-on-Stour, Alderminster and Stratford-upon-Avon will act as host locations for the Olympic Flame, extending an invitation to people in Stratford-on-Avon District 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 Stratford-on-Avon District 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."

For further information please visit the Olympic Torch Relay at http://www.london2012.com/olympic-torch-relay where you can carry out a post code search to see Communities near you.

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.

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.

Further background information 

• The West Midlands for 2012 team is chaired by David Moorcroft and was set up to coordinate the region's response to London 2012 and maximise the opportunities London 2012 offers the region. The West Midlands for 2012 team brings together key representatives from each of the region's six sub regions and from business, sport, culture, tourism, education and skills, as well as disability interests and Government agencies.
• 100% of the West Midlands population will be no more than 1 hr away from the Olympic Flame as it passes through the region over four days: 24 May; 30 May; 30 June; 1 July in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• For more information on London 2012 related activity in the West Midlands, including the Olympic Torch Relay, visit www.wmfor2012.com
  
• As the longest standing Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola will be using its heritage and experience to spread excitement across the UK ahead of London 2012. Coca-Cola's national nomination campaign - Future Flames – has focused on finding inspirational young people from across the country to have the once in a lifetime opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame. Next summer Coca-Cola will celebrate these Future Flames: young people who use their passions in areas like sport and physical activity, music and dance, and community and the environment; to spread happiness in their local communities. Find out more at: www.coca-cola.co.uk/olympic-games
  
• As the only National Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB will be taking the spirit and inspiration of the Olympic Flame right to the heart of communities across the UK.  As part of Lloyds Banking Group, Bank of Scotland will be the National Presenting Partner in Scotland. We will bring the Relay closer to our customers through our branches on practically every high street and our activities in the community, National School Sport Week and Local Heroes.  Customers can be the first to hear about exclusive offers, including how they can have the chance to carry the Olympic Flame, through our customer-exclusive programme, Trackside. Find out more at www.lloydstsb/london2012.  Schools can be right at the heart of the celebrations through our Flame Followers programme, giving them access to free resources to get their pupils inspired and excited about the Olympic Torch Relay, and the chance for their school to carry the Olympic Flame, win a celebration party at their school during the Relay and win a Cheer Kit to welcome the Relay to their community.  Customers can be the first to hear how they can follow the Olympic Flame, through our customer-exclusive programme Trackside. Find out more at www.lloydstsb.com/london2012.
• As part of its support for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Samsung is providing a number of the Olympic Torchbearers through its public nomination process. These 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunities to carry the Olympic Flame on its journey around the UK, represents one of the many ways that Samsung is enabling people from all corners of the world to be part of the greatest show on Earth.  Becoming an Olympic Torchbearer thanks to Samsung means everyone can become a part of the Olympic history. From June 13th 2011, Samsung has invited the world to recognise its unsung heroes. Samsung's nomination programme for Olympic Torchbearers is a worldwide search for these unique and selfless individuals. The campaign has been communicated globally via a number of marketing channels to ensure that the maximum number of people become aware of the opportunity.  It is Samsung's ambition that London 2012 will be an event that reaches and involves more people than on any other Olympic Games occasion. To learn more about the Samsung nomination programme, please visit http://www.samsung.com/london2012.
  
• For the Paralympics the Cities have already been decided by LOCOG to receive the Olympic Flame: Saturday 25 August – Greater Belfast; Sunday 26 August – Edinburgh; Monday 27 August – Cardiff and Tuesday 28 August – Stoke Mandeville then down to London. They won't be going via local communities like the Olympic Flame.  For further information please visit: http://www.london2012.com/paralympic-torch-relay.
  
• In addition the World Shakespeare Festival is a celebration of Shakespeare as the world's playwright, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company in an unprecedented collaboration with leading UK and international arts organisations, and with Globe to Globe, a major international programme produced by Shakespeare's Globe, for further information please visit: www.worldshakespearefestival.org.uk