Queen’s Baton Relay comes to a venue near you
The Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) is one of the traditions of the Commonwealth Games and like the Olympic torch of 2012 visited venues around England, writes Donna Richardson.
The baton returned to the United Kingdom after visiting 68 nations around the world. After stopping off in Northern Ireland and Wales, it started its English journey in Manchester, moving on to Sheffield. Here Hillsborough Judo Club coaches ran demonstrations and give it a go sessions for the public at Concorde Leisure centre.
After this the baton visited the the ‘second city’ of Birmingham in the Midlands where it toured the town’s parks before arriving at a sports festival in the evening. Judo was one of seven sports showcased along with a number of local clubs and National Governing Bodies that showcased their sport and encouraged the public to come and have a go.
Centre of Excellence athletes Nekoda Davis and Jodie Myers, promoted the Games alongside Joshua Hill and Seb Green. The event was supported by Keith Merrick and Steve Gawthorpe and was a huge success and as the British Judo Midlands development team, including volunteer coach Carol Leverton, were on hand to encourage members of the public to get on the mat and have a go at judo.
Sessions were led by Wayne McDonald of WM Judo, and supported by Joshua Hill and Seb Green, high performance athletes who are also on the high performance programme at Walsall.
“They all did a great job and everyone that got on the mat had a fantastic first experience of the sport,” BJA Service Manager for the Midlands Jo Walker said.
“Around 30 young people and five adults took part and hundreds of people were treated to the sight whilst making their commute home from work during the Birmingham rush hour.”
“It was great to have two athletes going to the Games there to help promote the sport and inspire all the young people.”
After Birmingham the baton reached the south west of England for a morning in Plymouth before heading to Bristol in the afternoon. Here young judo prodigy Pete Miles beared the baton.
Then a trip to the south coast saw the baton visit Southampton and the historic county of Kent and Oxford before arriving at the home of the 1934 British Empire Games London, on Sunday 8 June. The backdrop was Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford – home of the Olympic Games.
The London Area Committee delivered taster sessions and demonstrations throughout the day and local clubs were encouraged to come along and take part/support the event, spurred on by London 2012 Paralympians Marc and Dan Powell and 2014 Commonwealth competitor Caroline Kinnane. The BJA Service Manager James Woodland attended on the day along London Area Committee Member, Dave Dunsford, co-ordinated the event.
The North East was final setting for the baton’s route through England. In Newcastle. Service Manager Liz Burdis organised an event in Walker, where around 200 children engaged in 15 minute taster sessions. Jonathon Edwards held the Baton and it then went on to the border town Alnwick before being handed over to Scotland where it continues to make an impact. Then it went on to Suffolk before back to the Midlands and Leicester for day 11 to Hull and then another visit to Yorkshire. In Leeds, Dermot Heslop and Jeff Hynds ran six taster sessions for around 200 kids. In the morning they had schools rotating between judo, boxing and weightlifting getting around a 20-30 minute fun filled taster session with the same again in the afternoon with three more new schools. Judo was a massive hit with both the pupils and the teachers, many of whom took to the mat. Quite a few even winning the games over their year five to six counterparts.
Then the Baton was handed over to Scotland…
Scotland venues
14.06.2014 City of Edinburgh Edinburgh Ross Bandstand
