West hosts Queen’s Baton on run to Commonwealth Games
The Baton Relay to launch the Commonwealth Games will this year be closely linked to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
THE Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will visit parts of the Westcountry during its journey through England this summer. It will spend two days in the South West, July 4 and 5, starting in Cornwall.
The relay is set to travel the length and breadth of England for a total of 29 days, before culminating at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on July 28.
From June 2, the baton will spend four days in London, coinciding with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend before resuming its international journey. It will have taken 294 days and trips to each of the 72 nations that make up the Commonwealth by the time the final mile has been completed at the end of July.
On Monday, July 4, the baton will start its journey from the Eden Project, near St Austell, and will then cross the Tamar from Mount Edgecumbe and arrive in Plymouth by boat.
The baton will be accompanied by a flotilla of vessels, including sailing boats and paddleboards.
In Plymouth, it will travel past Pier Masters House, the historic emigration depot, before arriving on shore at the Barbican Landing Stage and being carried to the Mayflower Steps. It will then travel past the Plymouth Naval Memorial on Plymouth Hoe and down Armada Way before finishing at The Box, Plymouth’s cultural attraction and archive.
From Plymouth, it will be carried on to Exeter and then into Dorset, through Portland, Weymouth and Poole and on to Bournemouth.
In Plymouth, a busy schedule of activities and events are planned, with opportunities to highlight untold stories from baton bearers who are striving for change in their community. The schedule of activity for the baton’s time in Plymouth includes: A civic welcome at the Mayflower Steps, in a nod to July 4 and Plymouth’s American connections, with the Lord Mayor of Plymouth and other city leaders; Passing the Naval Memorial on Plymouth Hoe, which is dedicated to British and Commonwealth sailors who were lost in the First and Second World Wars with no known grave; A community welcome on The Piazza at the heart of the city centre and a greeting from local schoolchildren as it arrives at The Box.
The Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Cllr Terri Beer, said: “Plymouth is immensely proud to be hosting the Queen’s Baton Relay in such a momentous year. It gives us an opportunity to showcase everything that Britain’s Ocean City has to offer to the rest of the UK, and to the world.
“It will put the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park in the spotlight, as well as shining a light on the dedication and hard work carried out by the local people who have been given the honour of becoming baton bearers.”
Thousands of baton bearers, each with inspiring backgrounds and stories, will have the honour of carrying the baton during its journey through England, including those nominated in recognition of their contributions to their local community, whether in sport, education, the arts, culture or charity.
Between 40 and 130 baton bearers will carry the baton each day, and the relay will reach hundreds of villages, towns and cities during its tour of the country. One of the confirmed community baton bearers in Plymouth is Toby Gorniak, artistic director of Street Factory CIC.
Toby was nominated for the inspirational work he does to empower people, using hip hop to inspire and uplift young people, their families and communities.
Travelling via land, air and sea, more than 180 communities in England will experience the Queen’s Baton Relay on a route spanning 2,500 miles. From energetic cities and historic market towns, to rolling countryside and rugged coastline, the baton will head from its most southerly point in Cornwall to its most northerly in Northumberland.
Since its inaugural appearance at the Cardiff 1958 Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Baton Relay has been a tradition for the Games. The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay began at Buckingham Palace on October 7, 2021, 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 bearers to carry the baton.
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 Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Phil Batty, director of ceremonies and culture for the Queen’s Baton Relay, said: “Whilst the baton has been travelling across the Commonwealth, we have worked closely with local authorities in England to devise a route that engages with hundreds of communities. The route therefore includes passing sport venues, historic sites, local schools and areas of outstanding natural beauty.
“Yet the Queen’s Baton Relay is far more than just a journey. It symbolises connecting people from every corner of the Commonwealth, celebrates baton bearers who take on challenges, and marks the countdown to the biggest sporting event in West Midlands history.
“By the time the baton returns to England for the final leg, 71 nations and territories will have already experienced the magic that comes with it.”
Dame Louise Martin, Commonwealth Games Federation president, said: “The Queen’s Baton Relay symbolises hope, solidarity and collaboration across the Commonwealth at a time when it is needed most. It continues to inspire people wherever it goes and creates huge excitement as it journeys towards the opening ceremony on July 28.”