Queen’s Baton to blaze through county

JUST as the Olympic torch before the Queen’s Commonwealth Baton is set to blaze through Carmarthenshire later this month.

County executive board member for leisure services Cllr Meryl Gravell said it was a great coup for the council’s sports development team to have secured the Queen’s Glasgow Commonwealth Baton for a day of activities.

“Teams are working hard to make sure this is a memorable event from Laugharne, through to Carmarthen, Ammanford and Llanelli with another evening visit to Carmarthen, making is a full day of fun and activities on May 27th

“It will be a wonderful chance for those who have already got Olympic torch pictures in the family albums to get the Commonwealth Baton too.

“There is only one Commonwealth Games Baton with no replicas and it will be paraded through Carmarthenshire by a select band of sporting personalities and celebrities from Carmarthenshire.

“The event is on the day after the Spring Bank Holiday and there will be massive media attention so it is important people make time to see the Baton in their towns, said Mrs Gravell.

The full activities and schedule is:

Laugharne – 8.00am – 9.00am

Laugharne welcomes the Queen’s Commonwealth Baton to Carmarthenshire. A Commonwealth themed programme of activities has been developed to accommodate media presence at this first venue and an iconic setting which is itself the focus of much attention during this Centenary Year of Dylan Thomas’ birth.

Members of the public will be welcome along Dylan’s walk and to watch the activities from this view point. The events on the day will include a celebrity welcoming the Baton Bearers at the Writing Shed. Activities at the Boathouse include poetry reading by Menna Elfyn, re-creation of 1950’s playground games by the Children of Laugharne Primary School and a Dylan Thomas Flash Mob reciting and animating Dylan Thomas’ poetry.

Carmarthen Leisure Centre (day) – 9.20am – 3pm

Carmarthen Leisure Centre has family fun packed day of activities to welcome the Queen’s Baton into the town on the second leg of its Carmarthenshire relay. A Commonwealth themed programme of family activities will be on offer at the Centre that members of the public will be able to participate in free of charge. Activities will include art and storytelling workshops, a hockey festival, multi skills session, Lucian the Roman children’s activity, swimming and a variety of sports based taster sessions. The main event on the day is a Junior ‘Try’ Triathlon, the first to be held in Carmarthenshire, launched by a celebrity guest.

Amman Valley Leisure Centre – 10am-2.30pm

A riot of celebration at Ammanford Leisure Centre will welcome the Queens Baton into the town on the third leg of its Carmarthenshire relay. A sports themed programme has been developed that members of the public will be able to participate in free of charge. Activities will include rugby, hockey and soccer tykes with free family swimming throughout the day. There will also be water polo taster sessions, fitness activities in the gym and a story trail.

Llanelli Town Hall to Ffwrnes Theatre – 12-4pm

Llanelli is generating a carnival Mardi Gras spirit as part of the day’s celebrations to welcome the Queen’s Baton to the town which it is hoped will become a legacy of an annual Spring and Summer carnival. Llanelli plays host to the baton between 2-3pm. There will be a colourful parade involving steel bands, cultural groups, gymnasts, stiltwalkers and street entertainers. Townspeople are being encouraged to dress up and take part too. There will be theatrical and choral entertainment outside Ffwrnes and a gymnastics display in Spring Gardens.

The theme for the day will be the Commonwealth and its many different cultures, with the centrepiece of the festivities being a colourful parade led by the baton. The parade will start at the Town Hall with the baton’s arrival and then wind its way through the shopping centre before arriving at the Spring Gardens.

Carmarthen Town (evening) – 4.30pm – 7.30pm

The Queen’s Baton returns to Carmarthen Town Centre for an evening of cultural and sporting family entertainment. Notts Square and Guildhall will be host to a varied programme of singing, dancing and entertainment. Radio Carmarthenshire are a partner and will be located in the town centre for the duration of the evening.