• Flame will visit a number of iconic London landmarks
• London Marathon star Claire Lomas will light a celebration cauldron in Trafalgar Square
• Download images of the day
The cauldron will be lit using the English National Flame which was created at Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak, by Scouts striking a ferrocerium rod against a rough steel surface to create sparks.
8am - Trafalgar Square: Claire Lomas, 32, will light the celebration cauldron in Trafalgar Square.
Claire was an event rider and chiropractor until an eventing accident in 2007 left her paralysed from chest down. Since then she met her husband, Dan, had a baby girl (Maisie), learnt to ski and fundraised for spinal research. She recently walked the London Marathon in a pioneering robotic suit raising £204,000 for Spinal Research. She is now training for a cycling challenge in 2013.
During the event, 26 Flame ambassadors from the nations and regions will each collect a splinter of the Flame in a lantern to take back to the various Flame celebrations being held around the country. A number of photo moments (not open to media but in house footage and photos to be supplied) have been organised around tomorrow’s cauldron lighting:
6.45am – Royal Opera House: Eddie Marson will carry the Flame at the Royal Opera House. He recently played Dr Ludwig Guttmann the BBC2 Drama the Best of Men. Dr Guttmann was the pioneering Neurologist who founded the Stoke Mandeville Games.
11am – Notting Hill Carnival: Jonathan Coggan and Arun Patel, who were both nominated by Lloyds TSB, will carry the Flame in front of carnival performers in the costumes they will wear for the Notting Hill carnival. Jonathan was paralysed from the neck down in a car crash 11 years ago. With no feeling in 90 percent of his body, no movement in his hands and sensation in just 3 fingers Jonathan could have given up on life. Wheelchair Rugby opened up to Jonathan as a sport however, and through the last 10 years he has made the very best of so little. He now plays regularly for the British Wheelchair Rugby team and has represented his country at both the Athens and Beijing Paralympic Games. Arun Patel, was born in Uganda, in 1953. At the tender age of 1, he contracted polio in his right leg and subsequently developed post-polio symptoms in the left leg as well. Arun now lives in Ilford just 6 miles from the Olympic stadium.
For the past 10 years, Arun has immersed himself into improving the plight of children affected by polio, particularly those from the lower socio-economic class. With the help of his two brothers and many friends he set up a charity, Polio Children, which is registered in the UK and the USA. To date, the charity has raised over £1,000,000 and helped thousands of children access basic nutrition, education, healthcare, and vocational training.
1pm – Houses of Parliament: Roy Kerwin and Alan Richardson, who were both nominated through Sainsbury’s, will carry the Flame at the Houses of Parliament. Roy was making deliveries as part of his role as a driver at Sainsbury’s when he came to the aid of a customer who was in his driveway and had a car accident when his foot slipped off the brake and onto the accelerator. The car crashed into the customer’s wife and an iron railing. Roy helped his wife and told her not to move and remain calm and then made sure the husband was okay. When the paramedics arrived, he helped them get the wife into the ambulance. Alan was delivering groceries to a customer when there was no reply at door or by phone. Alan knew the customer well as he had delivered to them many times before. After speaking to the daughter on the phone, he entered by forcing the back door to find the customer unwell following a suspected stroke. He called paramedics and assisted them in getting him to hospital.
3pm – DLR: Aneurin Wood, who was nominated through BT, will carry the Flame on the DLR from Mudchute to South Quay. He is part of Inclusive Sport Hackney: this team’s nomination reflects the diversity of Hackney`s special and inclusive sporting experience. Wheelchair basketball, boccia, athletics, badminton and wheelchair tennis will all be represented. All the coaches nominated have dedicated their long-term commitment and passion to giving their aspiring juniors the strongest possible foundations to aim higher and train harder. As mentors they have freely given their time voluntarily, travelling with and supporting their teams through competitive highs and lows, encouraging fair play throughout. All are far too modest to put themselves forward as vital community beacons. Inspirationally lighting up the way for the next generation of competitors and coaches, they deserve to be celebrated by all on an extraordinary day.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: 'The National Flame in England will help to light the way to the Paralympic Games. It will also give people the chance to celebrate the amazing achievements of the inspirational Torchbearers who all embody the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality.'
Prime Minister David Cameron said: 'Only two weeks ago we showed the world what we're made of by hosting a tremendous Olympic Games and finishing with the highest ranking in the medals table for more than 100 years. Next week we will do it all again when the Paralympic Games come home to the UK. A record number of tickets have been sold for the Games and the whole country will be getting right behind ParalympicsGB.
'The lighting of the cauldron on Friday marks the beginning of what I am sure will be a fantastic showcase for the UK and I hope the Games inspire many other young people - disabled and non-disabled alike - to choose sport and aim to be the very best that they can be.'
Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson said: 'The start of the Torch Relay marks the moment when the London 2012 Paralympics comes alive. This will be a second fantastic celebration of sport and an opportunity to showcase the achievements of a remarkable group of people.'
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: 'With just five days to go London is ready to make history and host the most successful Paralympic Games ever seen. The excitement, anticipation, and irrepressible desire to pick up a Union Jack and cheer on Team GB, is building right across the capital as we watch our venues being transformed, the athletes arrive and, now, the Agitos gleaming on Tower Bridge. So get involved, get out on the streets and show your support as the Paralympic Flame, and all the incredible endeavours it represents, makes its way through London.'
To coincide with the lighting of the Paralympic Flame, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson today gave the order for a giant Paralympic Agitos, measuring 16m wide by 12.5m high, to be lowered from iconic landmark Tower Bridge.
Sally Hancock, Director, London 2012 Partnership at Lloyds Banking Group, said: 'We are looking forward to the English Flame arriving in Trafalgar Square on Friday to light the Celebration Cauldron ahead of the Flames uniting to form the Paralympic Flame on Tuesday. Lloyds TSB will be bringing the excitement of the Paralympic Games to the Flame Festivals around the UK and communities along the 24 hour Paralympic Torch Relay route to London. We are immensely proud of our inspirational Torchbearers such as Arun James from Ilford and Jonathan Coggan from Chelmsford who will be carrying the English Flame in London on Friday to celebrate their phenomenal achievements in their community. We are calling on everyone to come to the Flame Festivals to see their National Flame arrive in their capital and line the route to cheer on our Paralympic Torchbearers as they make their way to London in this unique relay.'
Jat Sahota, Head of Sponsorship, Sainsbury’s commented: 'As proud partners of the Paralympic Torch Relay and the Flame Festivals, we have already taken the Torch into Sainsbury’s stores right across the country. We now look forward to sharing this once in a lifetime experience with our Sainsbury’s customers, colleagues and Torchbearers as the National Flames begin their journey to the Olympic Stadium.'
Suzi Williams, Director, BT Group Marketing and Brand, said: ‘At BT we understand the power of Paralympic sport to inspire people, that's why we've brought teams together to run with the Paralympic Torch. This is their moment to be at the heart of a once in a lifetime experience.’
The Paralympic Flame will be created by uniting the four National Flames during a special ceremony from 4.30pm-8pm at Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic movement, on Tuesday 28th August. The Flame will then be carried by Torchbearers, working in teams of five, during a 24-hour relay to the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The Relay starts at 8pm and finishes the next day at 10pm. It will travel through Aylesbury, Weston Turville, Aston Clinton, Tring, Berkhamsted, Bourne End, Watford, Bushey, Harrow, Brent, Barnet, City of Westminster, Camden, The City of London, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lewisham, Greenwich, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham and Newham.
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For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog http://blog.london2012.com or follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/london2012
Notes to editors:
Broadcast footage of the Flame Lightings on each of the mountains will be made available on the evening of 22 August 2012. From 24 August, each day two short packages of broadcast footage will be made available. The packages will be available via the Footage library – accessible from the Media Centre on london2012.com and direct from this link http://footagelibrary.london2012.com. Media will need to register for access in advance. Registration is free.
The broadcast of the Paralympic Torch Relay is provided for Editorial Use Only. There can be no commercial association, no third party association and no commercial/ad superimposition on the video footage, unless the prior written consent of the IPC is acquired.
Paralympic Agitos
• Built in Essex, the Paralympic Agitos measuring 16m wide by 12.5m high and weighing 2910kg will remain in place until September 15th. They are a central part of the Mayor's 'Look and Celebration' Programme to dress the city ahead of the Paralympic Games
• The Mayor's Liberty Festival marks ten years as one of London's foremost showcases of deaf and disabled artists when it returns to the capital as a centrepiece event during the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Taking place on 1-3 September, this year's programme features its biggest ever line up and will take place at several locations across London, including Trafalgar Square, the National Theatre, the South Bank Centre, BFI Southbank, and Picture, the Mayor of London's Live Site at Potters Fields Park, next to City Hall. With more live music, dance, street theatre, film and cabaret than ever before, Liberty is free to attend and everyone is welcome. Featuring a mix of homegrown talent and international artists, the special 10th anniversary festivities are produced by the Mayor of London with Greenwich+Docklands Festivals, and will include some of the best showstoppers from previous years as well as a number of new works. This year's event also coincides with Unlimited, the London 2012 Festival's showcase of disabled artists.
• The Mayor is also backing BT London Live in Trafalgar Square, which will run alongside the Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September. The free event will open every day of the Paralympics from 11am-10pm, with the chance to watch Channel 4's coverage of the Games live on a giant screen. There will also be live entertainment each day from 1pm-1:30pm and 7pm-7:45pm, including live music from the likes of Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band, Musical Youth and The Beat, as well as performances by deaf and disabled artists. There will be daily on stage appearances from Paralympic medallists and Have – a- Go Paralympic sports at the Sports Court, including Wheelchair Basketball, Judo, Wheelchair Tennis, Sitting Volleyball and Athletics. There will be outlets offering food and drink and there will be plenty of seating.
• As part of Secrets: Hidden London, which is presented by the Mayor of London with London 2012 Festival, the conical hills at Northala Fields, which run alongside the M40, have been transformed with a series of stunning natural greenwood towers. 'Northala' has been built by environmental arts group Red Earth in partnership with producers ArtsAgenda, and will culminate in an atmospheric celebration on 24 August, involving sound and fire lit from the Paralympic Flame.
• Paralympics themed projections are due to appear on the Houses of Parliament each evening from 29 August to 9 September (excluding 3-6 September), depicting iconic moments from the first Paralympics Games to today. In addition, Paralympic Agitos are also to be suspended from Tower Bridge from 24 August to 10 September and also in front of the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square from 29 August to 10 September.
About the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners:
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services, operating in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.
BT is the official communications services partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and a Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay.
In the year ended 31 March 2011, BT Group’s revenue was £20,076 million with profit before taxation of £1,717 million.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt
All news releases can be accessed at our web site: http://www.bt.com/newscentre
Lloyds TSB is the exclusive Banking & Insurance Partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and partner of the London 2012 ticketing programme and the Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays. The Bank is committed to inspire and support young people, businesses and communities across Britain in the lead up to London 2012.
As a National Presenting Partner for the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB will be taking the spirit and inspiration of the Paralympic 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. Be the first to hear how to follow the Paralympic and Olympic Flames, through our customer-exclusive programme Trackside. For more information on how Lloyds TSB is helping take the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to all corners of Britain, visit: www.lloydstsb.com/london2012
Sainsbury’s is proud to be a Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay. Sainsbury’s is committed to promoting a healthier, more active lifestyle for all, regardless of ability, and supporting the values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality on which the Paralympic Movement was founded.
Sainsbury’s will be using its partnership of the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay to engage and celebrate those who make a lasting difference in attitudes towards disability in the UK and create opportunities for change in disabled people’s lives.
Sainsbury's is the first ever Paralympic Games-only sponsor and this landmark commitment to the Paralympic Movement is the largest sponsorship ever of a Paralympic Games.
For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog http://www.london2012.com/blog or follow us on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/london2012
London 2012 Games partners:
The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.
LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.
There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and one domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Supplier, Otto Bock. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery
