The Olympic Flame is to come to Wigan Borough next spring.
It was kindled by the rays of the sun at Olympia in Greece, and as part of a 70 day Torch Relay across the UK, the Olympic Flame will be carried through the borough ahead of the 2012 games in London.
“We are proud that Wigan Borough has been selected to be part of this historic event,” says deputy council leader Cllr David Molyneux. “It is a tremendous privilege for us and I am sure that local people will want to show their support as we put ourselves firmly on the map with the world watching.”
Street level details of the route itself are kept confidential until nearer the time, but the Olympic Relay organisers have informed the council that communities in Lowton, Abram, Wigan, Scholes, Ince and Hindley will be at the centre of things on Thursday 31 May 2012.
Wigan’s European and World Medallist and current British Indoor 800m record holder Jenny Meadows joined senior officials to celebrate the announcement.
Jenny says: “This is fantastic news for Wigan Borough. The Olympic Games really is the biggest event in the world and for the symbol of these games to be coming to Wigan truly is remarkable.
“I’m proud of Wigan Borough’s sporting achievements and have been training long and hard to get to the Olympics. So to have a part of them come to my own borough is a dream come true!”
Leaders from Wigan Council and Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust say that although the London 2012 Torch Relay will pass through large parts of our area, residents from across the whole borough will be invited to join in events along the route – and many local individuals are expected to be Torchbearers for parts of the route.
The Flame is expected to be in the borough for a number of hours, with the convoy in procession throughout that time. Olympic organisers say that the Flame will be carried by Torchbearers for most of the time, although it will be transported by a vehicle in the convoy for some parts of its journey.
There will be special work done with schools and young people to ensure they get the most from the one-in-a-lifetime event. Organisers have said that they want a special emphasis on youth – on the next generation and those that inspire them.
Jenny Meadows adds: “I’ve been doing a lot of work in the borough’s schools lately and it’s clear that the spirit of the games has captured the imagination of the children. I’m sure lots of them will turn out to see the torch pass through our borough.”
A very precise ritual for the lighting of the Flame is followed at every Games. It is lit from the sun’s rays at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, in a traditional ceremony among the ruins of the home of the Ancient Games. After a short relay around Greece, the Flame is handed over to the new Host City at another ceremony in the Panathenaiko stadium in Athens. The Flame is then delivered to the Host Country, where it is transferred from one Torchbearer to another, spreading the message of peace, unity and friendship. It ends its journey for the cauldron lighting at the Opening Ceremony, marking the official start of the Olympic Games. The Flame is extinguished on the final day of the Games, at the Closing Ceremony.
