The Olympic Games may yet be another two years away but a little part of London 2012 comes to Cardiff this week when the event’s official mascot pays a visit to a city school.
Herbert Thompson Primary in Ely will welcome Wenlock on Friday (July 2) morning when he will meet pupils and teachers at the school’s own mini Olympics closing ceremony.
Wenlock’s name is inspired by Much Wenlock in Shropshire, a town that is at the heart of Olympic history as the founder of the modern games Baron Pierre de Coubertin watched the Much Wenlock Games at the end of the 19th Century and was inspired to found the Olympic movement as we now know it.
The character and his Paralymic Games counterpart, Mandeville, are said to have been fashioned from the last drops of steel left over from the final support girder of the Olympic stadium in Stratford, East London.
The Herbert Thompson Olympics have been taking place throughout this week, including the raising of the school flag, lighting of their own torch and the school’s annual sports day at the National Indoor Athletics Centre at Uwic, Cyncoed on Thursday.
Wenlock will attend the school assembly on Friday morning to present awards to the school’s fastest boy and fastest girl from sports day, the winning house and several football medallions.
In true Olympic closing ceremony style, the flag will then be lowered and the flame extinguished.
The children will also present Wenlock with their own mascot designs.
The school earned Wenlock’s visit by winning a national competition as part of the Get Set network, the official London 2012 education programme for schools, colleges and local authority education providers across the UK. Herbert Thompson is the first Welsh school to be officially welcomed into the network.
The school displayed one or more of the Olympic and Paralympic Games values, such as friendship, respect, determination and equality, to join the network through their achievements with social and emotional additional literacy. Pupils are encouraged to do their best, to be proud of their achievements and respect others.
Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, Cllr Freda Salway, said: “It’s a great honour for Herbert Thompson Primary to received a visit from Wenlock. The excitement and anticipation are beginning to build up for the London Games in 2012 and I’m sure this visit will inspire the youngsters of Herbert Thompson to go that extra mile whether it be in their sporting endeavours or classroom studies.”
Headteacher, Debbie Lewis, said: “We are extremely proud to be the first school in Wales to welcome Wenlock. The children are very excited to meet him and it’s fantastic that he will be taking part in our very own Olympic closing ceremony.
“In the build up to the Olympics, we hope to use the values of the Games to enhance the lives of our staff and pupils by fostering respect and understanding of people who push themselves to the limit while overcoming many obstacles, whatever they may be.”
