On Monday July 11 the campus will be ready to welcome the Baton and its inspiring Batonbearers, with a host of activities planned to mark the occasion.
The detailed timings for the Relay have now been released and the University would like to invite students, staff and the wider º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ community to join us in celebrating this special event.
The Baton is due to arrive on campus at lunchtime on July 11 for a private reception with representatives from Team England, who are holding their immersion camp and official ‘kitting out’ process at the University.
Its official º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ tour will start from the University’s Hazlerigg Building entrance at around 1pm, where there will be a celebration of the Commonwealth and the vibrant and diverse University community.
From Hazlerigg the Baton will travel along Towers Way to Shirley Pearce Square, where the University will be hosting a Festival of Sport, joined by representatives from º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ College.
Students, staff, campus partners, alumni, and members of the local community are invited to line the Baton route and join in the fun at the festival, which will run from 12 noon until 3pm. There will be live music, interactive games, and food stalls selling dishes from across the Commonwealth.
The Baton is due to leave campus around 1.45pm. It will restart the next leg of its º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ tour from Queen’s Park, heading into º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ town centre where Charnwood Borough Council will be holding a celebratory event.
The key activities and timings for the day are:
- 1pm – Staff, students, University partners, and alumni are invited to gather outside the Hazlerigg Building to celebrate the official start of the Queen’s Baton Relay in º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ
- 1-1.45pm – All are welcome to line the route of the Baton as it travels along Towers Way to Shirley Pearce Square
- 12-3pm – All are invited to the Festival of Sport at Shirley Pearce Square
Speaking about the Baton visit, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Jennings said: “We would like to invite the University community and people from across º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ to come and join us on Monday July 11 in giving the Queen’s Baton Relay, and its Batonbearers an incredible welcome.
“Sport is at the heart of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. Many of our past and present students and staff will be part of the Games, as athletes, coaches and support staff, so to be part of the Baton relay is a true honour. Come and celebrate with us!”
Jo Maher, Principal and CEO at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ College, added: “The College and University are in the heart of the community and I know our teams are really looking forward to welcoming local people to celebrate with us during the Queen’s Baton Relay.
“The Commonwealth Games have launched the careers of countless elite athletes and we hope the baton relay can help inspire the next generation of athletes from our community.”
Cllr Jenny Bokor, the Council’s lead member for º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ said: “Plans are underway to host a range of activities in the town to mark this wonderful occasion.
“The Queen’s Baton Relay is an iconic part of the Commonwealth Games and its visit to both the University and the town centre gives º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ a chance to showcase its heritage and sporting excellence.
“It is certainly not an event to miss, and I would encourage people to come along and join us in celebrating the Baton!”
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held from 28 July until 8 August and it is hoped that around 100 º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ-linked athletes will compete for their respective nations in Birmingham.