2,500-MILE ROUTE OF RELAY

THOUSANDS of baton-bearers, each with inspiring backgrounds and stories, will have the honour of carrying the baton, including those nominated in recognition of their contributions to their communities, through sport, education, the arts, culture or charity.

Between 40 and 130 bearers will carry the baton each day during its tour of the country on a route spanning 2,500 miles.

Since its inaugural appearance at the Cardiff Commonwealth Games in 1958, the Queen’s Baton Relay has been a tradition for the Commonwealth Games.

The Birmingham 2022 relay began at Buckingham Palace on October 7 last year, when the Queen placed Her Message to the Commonwealth into the baton and passed it to four-time Paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox, who had the honour of being the first of thousands of baton bearers. Since then, the baton has visited Commonwealth nations and territories in Europe, Africa and Oceania.

It still has further destinations in the Caribbean, the Americas and more countries in Europe, including the Home Nations, consisting of five days in Scotland, four in Northern Ireland and five in Wales, where it will finish on Sunday, July 3, before returning to England for the final countdown to the Games. The dates of when the baton visits each region are:

■■July 4– 5: South West;

■■ July 6– 7: South East;

■■ July 8– 9: East of England;

■■ July 10– 11: East Midlands;

■■ July – 12-13: Yorkshire and the Humber;

■■ July 14–15: North East;

■■ July 16 – 17: North West;

■■July 18– 28 July: West Midlands.