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Local hero given
Olympic honour
ARMY VETERAN Craig Lundberg
has been announced as the final person in Liverpool to carry the
Olympic Torch on Friday, 1 June 2012.
Craig will have the honour of picking up the Torch at the Woodside
Ferry Terminal, where he will sail across the Mersey, arriving at
the Pier Head at 7.20pm. After docking in Liverpool, he will carry
the Flame through the crowds taking part in the evening celebration,
heading on to the stage where he will light the symbolic Olympic
cauldron.
The 26 year old from Mossley Hill, who was blinded in Iraq in 2007,
said:- "I'm made up to be chosen as a torchbearer!
It's such an honour to be asked to carry the Torch, and to be the
last person to hold it in Liverpool before it continues on its
journey is unbelievable. I'm so proud and can't wait to be part of
it all on Friday."
There are no new tickets being issued.
The event, which starts at 5.30pm on Friday, 1 June 2012, will not only
see Craig Lundberg holding the torch aloft, it will also include:-
► A homecoming performance by The Wombats.
► Twist and Pulse, runners-up in 2010's Britain's Got Talent, will
showing off their street dance skills.
►
An original dance performance by a
Liverpool troupe made up of 7 to 80 year olds who will give a
performance inspired by the themes of community and the ethos of the
Olympics.
►
More than 300 performers will come
together to give the one and only performance by the Liverpool
Olympic Choir, which is made up of representatives from choirs
across the city.
►
A special film showing highlights
of the Olympic Torch Route to date.
►
A live DJ and beat-boxing session.
Merseyside Police are issuing
advice to those attending Olympic Torch Relay
WITH Merseyside gearing up
to host the Olympic Torch Relay, on Friday, 1 June 2012, Merseyside
Police have issuing advice on how to enjoy the event safely.
The torch arrives in Sefton from West Lancashire on Friday morning
before working its way south into St Helens, Knowsley and Liverpool
before crossing the River Mersey in Wirral and returning to the city
for an evening grand finale.
Local councils in each of the boroughs are organising events to
celebrate the arrival of the Olympic torch as well as being
responsible for closing roads and implementing diversions so that
residents can safely line the route to watch the relay go by.
In Sefton, the council is organising a world record attempt with
thousands of school children trying to form the biggest-ever human
Olympic rings on Crosby beach.
In St Helens dozens of schools have given pupils the afternoon off
so they can line the route carrying their very own torches made as
part of a project. While in Knowsley, the council is hosting a free
event at the safari park, which has had its ticket alllocation fully
taken up.
From St Helens the torch relay enters Liverpool via East Prescot
Road then Edge Lane Drive, with a host of public and community
events held at local schools, community centres, universities, both
cathedrals, Unity Youth Theatre, Clayton Square and St George's
Hall.
At around teatime the torch leaves the tarmac for the tunnel and
crosses into Wirral where the council is holding a massive public
event in Birkenhead Park before the torch returns to the city on the
famous Mersey Ferry from Woodside to mark the closing event at the
Pierhead.
Local councils are providing stewarding for their events and for
crowds lining the route with Merseyside Police operating rolling
road closures in most places to help local authorities keep traffic
disruption to a minimum.
The force is advising motorists intending to use any of the roads
that the torch relay will travel along to consider using public
transport instead or to consider alternative routes and leave plenty
of time for their journey.
Traffic advice is being issued by the local council in each of the
five boroughs as well as by the Highways Agency.
Police officers will be on duty in the neighbourhoods the torch is
passing through and will be on hand to support the stewards with the
large crowds that are expected and to deal with any incidents that
arise.
Chief Inspector Martin Woosey from the Force's operations department
/ Assistant Chief Constable Chris Armitt, said extensive planning
had been carried out with all the agencies involved ahead of the
historic day.
He said:- "This is a once-in-a lifetime event for Merseyside
and a great deal of work has been done to ensure that people get to
see the Olympic torch pass through where they live. The torch has so
far been a hit with the public elsewhere in the country and we're
sure the people of Merseyside are going to turn out in force to
celebrate its day here. Every borough has something going on which
I'm sure will prove very popular so I would remind people to visit
their council's websites for details of their local events and how
their journeys may be temporarily affected on Friday. The police
will be operating a rolling roadblock in most places to allow the
torchbearers and torch convoy to pass through swiftly and safely
with everyone getting a chance to see it. We then aim to get traffic
moving again as quickly as possible but some disruption is
inevitable and I would ask motorists to be patient and plan ahead on
this one-off, very special day."
Merseyside Police would also like to advise people attending any of
Friday's events or gathering to watch the torch pass through about
simple steps they can take to avoid becoming a victim of crime:-
► Keep
belongings like wallets, purses and mobiles out of sight or in a
secure pocket when you are not using them.
► Take all
valuables in your car with you and make sure you park in designated
car parks which are more secure.
► Keep
children close by at all times and if your child goes missing report
it to an event steward or police officer.
► Follow
the directions of the Stewards and Police in the event of an
emergency.
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Communities
shine to celebrate Olympic Torch
COMMUNITY groups and
organisations are hitting the streets to give a warm, Liverpool
welcome to the Olympic Torch when it arrives on Friday, 1 June 2012.
Knotty Ash Youth and Community Centre will kick things off with a
tickling stick celebration where Ken Dodd is expected to show-off
his finely-honed stick tickling skills. Residents will also get into
the spirit of things by dressing up as living Olympic statues.
And following on from this:-
►
East Prescot Road Nursery School's 3 and 4 year olds will be maypoling.
►
A ribbon dance will be performed
by the pupils of St. Sebastian's Catholic Primary School, Edge Lane.
►
University of Liverpool students
will put on cultural music and dance at the University Square
(corner of Bedford Street North, Brownlow Hill and Ashton Street).
►
The Metropolitan Cathedral have
organised an international dance piece to be performed on the Piazza
featuring China Pearl.
►
Hope Street Limited will have the
Beatles puppets join the Decade of Health and Wellbeing puppets to
parade the area and greet the torch as it passes.
►
Merseyside Dance Initiative will
be giving a special 5 minute dance performance outside their studios.
►
The 2 cathedrals will have their
very own relay and will signal the approach of the torch by ringing
the cathedral bells; culminating in 5 rings of the magnificent
Great George bell.
►
Unity Youth Theatre are planning
special interactions with the public lining the torch route.
►
Robed choristers from the Anglican
Cathedral will serenade the torch as it passes.
►
Chinese drumming, a lion dance and
tai chi will take place on the corner of Berry Street and Duke
Street courtesy of Pagoda Arts.
►
Urban Strawberry Lunch will host
The Friday Fling outside St Luke's Church which includes a live DJ
set and drummers to beat the path for the Flame.
►
The Balloons Project will see
dancers, percussionists and a choir entertain the crowds at Clayton
Square with some balloons thrown in for good measure. The
student-led project will involve 70 people and the original songs
have been inspired by the Olympic Torch.
►
A massive Zumba session will take
place on St George's Hall plateau. Organised by Liverpool City
Council, participants will be wearing Olympic colours.
►
Also taking place at the Hall will
be Samba extravaganza organised by Liverpool Music Support Service
which will see pupils from Notre Dame Catholic College and the
Saturday Morning Music Centre form a fantastic Samba band.
► Although not on the route, Liverpool Watersport Centre are also
getting into the Olympic spirit of things and have invited school
children to take part in sailing, kayaking and canoeing, aiming to
inspire the stars of the future.
Liverpool city council's cabinet member for culture and tourism,
Councillor Wendy Simon, said:- "I'm so proud of all these
different organisations which have put so much work into making sure
Liverpool celebrates the arrival of the Olympic torch in style!
There are many different activities taking place which reflect the
creativity and diversity of this city and even though I'm biased, I
think it will be one of the warmest receptions the torch will
receive during its relay. Seeing the torch on the streets of
Liverpool is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I encourage as
many people as possible to line the route and not only cheer on the
torch and our torchbearers, but also support these fantastic groups
who are sure to put on a fantastic show."
Timings for the activities and torch arrival in each area are as
follows:-
► Knotty Ash Youth and Community Centre – event starts around 3.30 and
torch will pass approx 4.16pm.
►
East Prescot Road Nursery School –
event runs at 3-3.25pm and torch will pass approx 4.23pm.
►
St. Sebastian's Catholic Primary
School – event runs 3.30-5pm and torch will pass approx 4.41pm.
►
University of Liverpool – event
runs from 2-5pm and the torch will pass approx 5.10pm
►
The Metropolitan University –
event runs from 4.40pm and the torch will pass approx 5.14pm.
►
Hope Street Ltd - event runs from
4.45-5.15pm and the torch will pass approx 5.15pm.
►
Merseyside Dance Initiative -
event runs from 4.30-5.15pm and the torch will pass approx 5.15pm.
►
Bells ringing at the Cathedrals –
they will begin ringing from 5pm and the torch will pass approx
5.15pm.
►
Unity Theatre - event runs from
5-6pm and the torch will pass approx 5.18pm.
►
Anglican Cathedral - event runs
from 4.30-5pm and the torch will pass approx 5.19pm.
►
Pagoda Arts - event runs from
4-6pm and the torch will pass approx 5.25pm.
►
Urban Strawberry Lunch event runs
from 4-5.45pm and the torch will pass approx 5.26pm.
►
The Balloons Project event runs
from 4.30-5.30pm and the torch will pass approx 5.32pm.
►
The St George's Hall zumba and
Samba event runs from 4.15-6pm and the torch will pass approx 5.33pm.
Please note:– there are no road closures when the torch is
travelling through Liverpool, but there will inevitably be
disruption as the flame travels across the city which is estimated
to last around 20 mins at each location, and people are advised to
use alternative routes where possible.
However, in preparation for the evening celebration at the Pier Head; Mann Island, Water Street and Brunswick Street will be closed from
6am Friday, 1 June 2012, until the early hours of Saturday morning.
London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
(LOCOG) are asking people to get involved when the torch comes to
Liverpool and share any pictures or comments on their dedicated
website. Just sign up via:-
nwfor2012.com and then
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