Leicester to host a Flame Celebration as part of the Paralympic Torch Relay
LEICESTER will have the great honour of being the only place in the East Midlands and one of only 34 nationally to host a Flame Celebration as part of the Paralympic Torch Relay, it has been announced today (Feb 29).A delegation, including Deputy City Mayor Cllr Rory Palmer, will travel to London to take part in a flame lighting event on Saturday 25 August. The flame will then travel back to Leicester, where it will form the centrepiece of this year's Sports Fest that same day.
Deputy City Mayor Cllr Rory Palmer said: “We're very proud to have been selected to host the Paralympic Torch for the East Midlands. It is a real testament to our city and its commitment to disability sport. It also compliments the array of Paralympic activity we are hosting within the city and builds on our continued legacy work.
"We hope the people of Leicester will join us at the celebration event, along with some of the city's most talented athletes, to celebrate the arrival of the flame to the city."
Sports Fest, which will be held at the Big Screen in Humberstone and free to attend, will kick off at 11am on Saturday 25 August with the arrival of the flame. Deputy City Mayor Cllr Rory Palmer will announce the arrival in a brief speech, whilst the flame is paraded along Humberstone Gate by local athletes.
Members of the public will get the opportunity to take part in and watch a variety of sports and cultural events as part of the day-long festival. This will include Paralympic displays and taster sessions in fencing, football and gymnastics. There will also be live music and dance acts from local performers.
In addition, people will also get the chance to race against the official Paralympic time of gold medal winner Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson on a simulated wheelchair exercise bike.
Director of Paralympic Integration at London 2012, Chris Holmes, said: “We are thrilled to announce that Leicester will play host to a Flame Celebration. This new concept will involve people from all around the UK in the spirit of the Paralympic Movement in unique ways relevant to the area. I know that people from the city will get involved in this celebration and help ignite passion for the Paralympics across the UK.”
Nationally, four Flames will be lit as part of the Paralympic Torch Relay, one each in London, Greater Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
Once the flame celebrations have taken place, the four Flames will eventually be united at the Paralympic Flame Lighting Ceremony at Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic Movement, to create the London 2012 Paralympic Flame.
This Flame will then be carried on a 24 hour overnight Relay to London and the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games on Wednesday 29 August.
Photo opportunity: Deputy City Mayor Cllr Rory Palmer will be available for a photo opportunity, with members of the Leicester Cobra Wheelchair Basketball Club and young people from Ellesmere College and Ash Field School, at 11am on Wednesday 29 February at the Big Screen on Humberstone Gate.
