Jodrell Bank to feature on London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route
7 November 2011
The Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory. Image credit: Anthony Holloway, University of Manchester.
The University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire East has been selected to take part in the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay as a host location for people to welcome the Olympic Flame.
The torch relay will be visiting Jodrell Bank in Cheshire East on May 31 2012. Local schoolchildren will be be on hand to see the torch pass through the Cheshire countryside and arrive at the Observatory.
A world-leading astronomical research site, Jodrell Bank is also a much-loved visitor attraction, welcoming thousands of people every year to witness live science in action and the spectacular Lovell Telescope.
The visit will allow people to share in the excitement the Relay will bring and celebrate the achievements of the Torchbearers.
Jodrell Bank is one of just a few landmarks and special activities to be announced today by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) through which the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. LOCOG has worked closely with representatives from a number of sectors in the North West to include these landmarks on the route. The majority of other special events and activities will be confirmed next year as the organisers aim to build further excitement and anticipation much closer to the time of the Torch Relay.
Sir Bernard Lovell, the founder of Jodrell Bank Observatory, said: 'I am delighted to hear that the Olympic Torch will be visiting Jodrell Bank as part of the relay route.
'It's a great honour for us and we feel very privileged to have been selected to take part in such a great national and international event.'
Dr Teresa Anderson, Director of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, said: 'This will be a fantastic opportunity for people in the area to be a part of the Olympic Torch Relay and see the flame in such an iconic setting.
'We feel proud and honoured to have been selected as one of the venues and look forward immensely to seeing the Olympic flame arrive here next year.'
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: 'We are thrilled to confirm that the Olympic Flame will be visiting Jodrell Bank Observatory as part of its journey around the UK.
'We have worked hard to devise a route that achieves the optimum mix of proximity to people whilst taking in diversity of the UK's landscape and landmarks, and by taking in Jodrell Bank we are doing just that.
'This is the UK's moment to shine and I want to encourage people across the North West to start planning how they can be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity and show their support for the inspirational Torchbearers chosen to carry the Olympic Flame as we count down to the start of the Olympic Games.'
The 70-day Olympic Torch Relay will start at Land's End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land's End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.
In announcing the villages, towns and cities and some of the landmarks and alternative modes of transport the Flame will take in as part of its journey, LOCOG has realised the aspiration of taking the Olympic Flame to within an hour's journey time of 95% of the population.
In fact, over 95% of the population will be within just 10 miles of the Olympic Flame next summer. The street by street detail of the route will be confirmed next year.
People are invited to view the interactive map at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelaymap to find their nearest community through which the Olympic Flame will be carried.
On the final day of the Olympic Torch Relay, it is LOCOG's intention that the Olympic Flame will travel down the River Thames as it makes its way to the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
For logistical reasons, not all the landmarks will be accessible to large crowds but LOCOG have worked with the local areas to ensure that there is as much public access as possible.
The Olympic Flame will be carried across the UK by 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers each of whom will have a story of personal achievement and/or contribution to the local community. In December this year, successful nominees will be contacted with a conditional offer and final Torchbearer places will start to be confirmed from February 2012 onwards.
Today LOCOG launches two new public participation programmes. The 'Local Leaders' initiative is an invitation to people to take the 2012 Games into their community and create their own celebrations next year, for the Olympic Torch Relay and other key moments during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. People are encouraged to sign up to the Local Leader programme at www.london2012.com/localleaders to receive further information on a range of themed celebration ideas focusing on the Opening Ceremony evening, gardening, quizzes and barbecues and be in the front row to receive free London 2012 event materials to support events.
Also launched today is the 'Get Set for the Olympic Torch Relay' education resource, available to all schools registered with Get Set, London 2012's official education programme. The aim of the resource is to provide schools with cross-curricular resources aimed at teachers working with 3 to 16 year olds to aid learning around history of Olympic Torch Relays, the design of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay and the Torch itself. A further education resource will launch next year to encourage schools to plan a welcome for the Olympic Flame and show support for the Torchbearers. Lloyds TSB, official Education Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, have launched their Flame Followers schools programme which compliments the Get Set resources, and gives schools once-in-a-lifetime opportunities be right at the heart of the excitement and celebrations of the Relay.
Notes to editors
The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester, a member of the Russell Group, is the most popular university in the UK. It has 22 academic schools and hundreds of specialist research groups undertaking pioneering multi-disciplinary teaching and research of worldwide significance.
According to the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, The University of Manchester is now one of the country's major research universities, rated third in the UK in terms of 'research power'. The University had an annual income of £788 million in 2009/10.
For more details visit www.manchester.ac.uk.
Jodrell Bank Observatory
The Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics is the astronomical research centre of the University of Manchester and operates e-MERLIN, the UK's national radio astronomy facility. Jodrell Bank is a world leader in radio astronomy-related research and technology development but also carries out research across the electromagnetic spectrum and in theoretical topics.
For more details visit www.jb.man.ac.uk.
For Jodrell Bank media enquiries contact:
Daniel Cochlin
Media Relations
The University of Manchester
0161 275 8387
daniel.cochlin@manchester.ac.uk
Coca-Cola
As the longest standing Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola will be using its heritage and experience to spread excitement across the UK ahead of London 2012. Coca-Cola's national nomination campaign - Future Flames - has focused on finding inspirational young people from across the country to have the once in a lifetime opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame. Next summer Coca-Cola will celebrate these Future Flames: young people who use their passions in areas like sport and physical activity, music and dance, and community and the environment; to spread happiness in their local communities. Find out more at: www.coca-cola.co.uk/olympic-games.
Lloyds TSB
As the only National Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB will be taking the spirit and inspiration of the Olympic Flame right to the heart of communities across the UK. As part of Lloyds Banking Group, Bank of Scotland will be the National Presenting Partner in Scotland. We will bring the Relay closer to our customers through our branches on practically every high street and our activities in the community, National School Sport Week and Local Heroes. Customers can be the first to hear about exclusive offers, including how they can have the chance to carry the Olympic Flame, through our customer-exclusive programme, Trackside. Find out more at www.lloydstsb.com/london2012. Schools can be right at the heart of the celebrations through our Flame Followers programme, giving them access to free resources to get their pupils inspired and excited about the Olympic Torch Relay, and the chance for their school to carry the Olympic Flame, win a celebration party at their school during the Relay and win a Cheer Kit to welcome the Relay to their community. Customers can be the first to hear how they can follow the Olympic Flame, through our customer-exclusive programme Trackside. Find out more at www.lloydstsb.com/london2012.
Samsung
As part of its support for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Samsung is providing a number of the Olympic Torchbearers through its public nomination process. These 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunities to carry the Olympic Flame on its journey around the UK, represents one of the many ways that Samsung is enabling people from all corners of the world to be part of the greatest show on Earth. Becoming an Olympic Torchbearer thanks to Samsung means everyone can become a part of the Olympic history. From June 13th 2011, Samsung has invited the world to recognise its unsung heroes. Samsung's nomination programme for Olympic Torchbearers is a worldwide search for these unique and selfless individuals. The campaign has been communicated globally via a number of marketing channels to ensure that the maximum number of people become aware of the opportunity. It is Samsung's ambition that London 2012 will be an event that reaches and involves more people than on any other Olympic Games occasion. To learn more about the Samsung nomination programme, please visit http://www.samsung.com/london2012.
