From the More Than Gold Team:
A highlight in the build up to the 2012 Games is the official Torch Relay starting about three months beforethe opening ceremony. The relay sees the torch carried throughout many towns and cities across the UK.
The first 74 towns and cities to be visited by the London 2012 Torch Relay have been announced. I want to let you know what this means for you and your church.
The places named are where evening events will take place to celebrate the Olympic Flame. The expectation of the Games organising committee is that there will be a spectacular welcome. This could involve entertainment, shows and concerts with a local flavour.
Helping churches get ready
To help churches get ready for this great opportunity, More Than Gold is creating a local task force in each town where the relay is to stop.
This group will help run community events that support the official celebrations. The aim is to have the churches and More Than Gold’s partner agencies working to put the church at the centre of the plans and celebrations that take place.
Working with your Local Authority
What makes this especially important is that most Local Authorities are stretched so far as their budgets and resources are concerned.
Because of this they would welcome the help of the churches in their area. In some places it may even be possible for the local churches to be the prime organiser or main partner in a Community Festival.
The help churches could contribute includes;
Creative and performing arts –offering their own talent or bringing it in from elsewhere.
Hospitality – from free food to being part of the One Million Cups of Water programme.
Volunteers – everything from clearing the rubbish, crowd control, to specialist advice and help.
How you can play your part?
To be a part of this task force please email info@morethangold.org.uk with your name, church, town and contact details so that we can network with you and get you in touch with others in your area.
The Torch will visit East Midlands: Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham, East of England: Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, Luton, Norwich, Peterborough, London: Bexley, Ealing, Haringey, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster, Northern Ireland: Belfast, Derry~Londonderry, Newry, Portrush, North East: Alnwick, Durham, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, North West: Blackpool, Bolton, Bowness-on-Windermere, Carlisle, Chester, Isle of Man, Liverpool, Manchester, Scotland: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Isle of Lewis, Orkney, Shetland, South East,:Brighton and Hove, Dover, Guernsey, Jersey, Hastings, Maidstone, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, South West: Bournemouth, Bristol, Cheltenham, Exeter, Land's End, Plymouth, Salisbury, Taunton, Weymouth and Portland, Wales: Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Swansea, West Midlands: Birmingham, Coventry, Stoke-on-Trent, Worcester, Yorkshire and Humber, Cleethorpes, Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and York.
