Moment to Shine!

Fancy a stint with the torch? Then read on....

The build up to the London 2012 Olympic Games has truly begun! This week the design of the Olympic Torch was unveiled and, with the confirmation that the Olympic Torch Relay will begin its journey from Land’s End on 19th May 2012, the hunt is now on for people to carry the Olympic Flame across Cornwall and the rest of the UK. 

The route has been planned so that the Flame will come within an hour of 95 percent of people in the UK and enable communities to focus on the very best in their area.  The Olympic Torch Relay will start at Land’s End on Saturday 19^th May 2012 and the Flame will then visit locations across the UK before reaching London on Saturday 21 July.

The London 2012 Olympic Torch, which stands 800mm high, features 8,000 small cut-out circles, representing the 8,000 inspirational people who will carry it on its journey around the UK.  With 8,000 Torchbearers required for the 70 day relay, nominations are now being sought for inspirational people in Cornwall to carry the torch through the County. 

Do you know someone truly inspirational?  This is your chance to give them their moment to shine.  Nominate someone you know to be a Torchbearer and they could have the honour of carrying the Flame through Cornwall on day one of the Olympic Torch Relay.

The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) are looking for ordinary people doing extraordinary things.  This will be a Relay for everyone, from any walk of life, anywhere in the UK with the aim that 50% of the Torchbearers will be young people aged between 12 and 24. 

Do you know someone who has inspired you to do something you never thought possible, or someone who always tries to be the best they can be?  Perhaps someone who makes a real difference in their school or community or someone who has shown what it means to be a real friend?  If you do - then this is your chance to give someone you know their moment to shine in this once in a lifetime opportunity.  It might be a friend who gave up a lot to help you through a really hard time, a local football coach who is out on the touchline every week, a youth worker who runs a music project to give confidence to children or someone who gives time to help elderly or disabled people get around.  LOCOG do not have a particular person or type of story in mind, they are excited to see who’s out there, so get nominating!

You have until 29 June 2011 to nominate them to be a London 2012 Olympic Torchbearer.

Nominations can be made through the London 2012 website http://www.london2012.com/olympic-torch-relay or visit the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay official Facebook page www.facebook.com/london2012torchrelay

After nominations close at 11.59pm on 29 June, a shortlist will be created of potential Torchbearers through a ballot process.  The stories of the shortlisted nominees will be put forward to the South West judging panel.  Announcements of who will carry the Olympic Torch through Cornwall will be made in December 2011.  The three Presenting Partners, Coca Cola, Samsung and Lloyds TSB, will launch their own Torchbearer campaigns later in June 2011, with the principle of nominating someone with an inspiring story of personal achievement and/or contribution to their local community at their heart.