In this exciting Olympics year, we will bring you updates on 2012 Olympic events and issues in Bucks. Your VCS rep on the 2012 Coordination group, is Lucie Maldoom, from Community Impact Bucks. Read on for the first update of the year…
Torch Relays The Bucks Torch Relay working group met in December to address the current event planning programme. The primary focus for this group remains the detail of the Paralympic Flame Festival programme in Aylesbury on August 28th 2012.
Paralympic Relay Two potential routes for the Paralympic Torch journey from Stoke Mandeville south through the county have been submitted, both would feature Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The first proposed route would pass through High Wycombe and the second would follow the route of the 1984 Wheelchair Marathon along the A413 to Chalfont St Giles. It is expected that the consultation on the route options will be considered through January with an announcement relating to the route to be made on Feb 24th marking the 6 month countdown to the start of the Flame Festival.
BT, the official communications services partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, is giving people the chance to carry the Paralympic Flame, they are looking for the most inspirational teams to carry the Paralympic Flame during the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay. Each team of five will work together to take the flame approximately 750 metres on its journey from Stoke Mandeville to the Olympic Stadium in London. Successful nominees may have adopted the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality to make a difference for details visit www.bt.com/London2012
Eton Dorney Venue Preparation – The public consultation on the Eton Dorney Local Area Traffic Management Plans will run for 4 weeks from January 16th and will include a public drop-in question & answer session at the Sainsbury Store in Taplow between 10a.m.-2p.m. on February 4th. A leaflet drop to 15,000 local residents to be most directly affected by the traffic management and parking plans for the venue is taking place this week. Local residents are advised to use the following contacts to register any questions ahead of the public engagement e-mail parkingenquiry@london2012.com tel 0800 0111300.
Community Celebrations & Live Sites – The dates and locations for the 4 live sites throughout the county have been finalised these are Burnham Park, Burnham Sat 4th August, The Rye, High Wycombe Sun 5th August, King George V Fields, Amersham Sat 11th August, Vale Park, Aylesbury Sat 1st September The events are being co-ordinated by the Bucks CC 2012 team working in partnership with District & Town Council partners. All of the live site events will be accompanied by major community led celebration events.
A useful new toolkit has been produced by Bucks County Council to support community organisations in planning Jubilee and 2012 inspired events this year, the toolkit can be accessed from the Bucks CC website http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/london2012/events.page and includes practical information relating to event planning including simple advice as well as Public Liability Insurance Grants. The site also features a growing listing of all community events being held throughout the county this year.
Local Leaders – Individuals are being encouraged to sign up to be LOCOG Local Leaders and receive support and resources to organise local led community events around main games celebrations such as the opening & closing ceremonies. Registration can be made via http://www.london2012.com/get-involved/local-leaders/
Cultural Activities – The “Welcome Song” programme supported by AVDC has been selected to be part of the London 2012 Festival Programme. Developed in association with community groups in Much Wenlock and Chipping Campden it will tell the story of the development of the Olympic & Paralympic Games as a choral arrangement.
We learned this week that the Welcome Song project has been successful in a funding application to the Arts Council. The £200k funding will ensure that the programme, which is being led by artistic director folk & roots musician Eliza Carthy, can be performed by community groups in each of the key locations. It is hoped that the Stoke Mandeville performance can be linked to the Paralymjpic Flame Festival event and also be performed at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury alongside the Flame Festival Celebrations.
Ticketing – The second phase of tickets for the Paralympic Games is now on sale until Feb 6th 2012, move quick to secure your families tickets for the greatest Paralympic Games yet. Resale tickets for both the Olympic & Paralympic Games will start to become available from January 6th for full details visit www.london2012.com
Bucks County Council and South Bucks District Council will be working together with local media partners from February to invite nominations for their host authority ticket allocation for events at Eton Dorney and for the Opening & Closing Ceremonies for the Olympic & Paralympic Games.
