The Queen’s Baton Relay is coming to Wrexham. The first stop of the Baton’s journey through Wales on route to the 2010 Commonwealth games in Delhi.
The baton is being received in Wrexham by the Mayor, Cllr Arwel Gwynn Jones on Monday 9th November at 8.50am and will be carried through Wrexham to Llwyn Isaf at the Guildhall by international sporting athletes’ including Wrexham’s Olympic Rowing Gold Medal Winner Tom James.
The athletes who will be joining Tom, and supported by local high school children, are Wrexham Manager Dean Saunders, swimmer and Commonwealth Welsh record holder Lowri Tynan, Paralympics Dressage Rider and 2012 Olympic hopeful Natalie Povey, Wales’ number one ranked Boccia player Gareth Stafford and Commonwealth Foil, Fencer Caroline Benson.
The Queen’s Baton Relay symbolises the unity and sheared ideals of the Commonwealth nations and enables communities beyond the Host City to share in the Games celebrations.
The Baton Relay 2010 Delhi began from Buckingham Palace on 29th October 2009 when the Queen formally handed over the baton. It will make its historic journey through all other 70 Commonwealth nations, a historic journey that will cover a distance of more than 190,000 kilometres in 340 days.
The relay will conclude after the final Baton bearer enters the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games on 3rd October 2010 where Her Majesty The Queen’s message will be removed from the baton and read aloud, officially opening the Games.
Councillor Bob Dutton, Lead Member for Communities and Performance said:
“It is an honour to be the first county in Wales to be receiving the Queen’s Baton and I look forward to welcoming it to Wrexham. It is a great opportunity for Wrexham to showcase their fantastic sporting facilities and athletes. It’s great to see the baton coming back to Wales.”
The Queen’s Baton last visited Wrexham in 2002 when the Games were held in Manchester.
