LOCOG have made the first 6,800 conditional offers to people to carry the Olympic Flame next summer.
LOCOG announce first bunch of torch bearer names
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) have made the first 6,800 conditional offers to inspiring people to carry the Olympic Flame next summer.
LOCOG will offer places to 8,000 people to be part of the 70 day Olympic Torch Relay, with 6,800 offers made on Thursday and a further 1,200 to be made in January.
90% of the Torchbearer places have been made available to people nominated for a personal best through a number of channels, including the four public nomination campaigns run by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay: Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. The remaining 10% of places are offered by invitation.
The places were offered to people to recognise and reward people with a story of personal achievement and/or contribution to the local community with the once in a lifetime opportunity of carrying the Olympic Flame.
An average of 115 people per day will take centre stage next summer by carrying the Olympic Flame on its 8,000 mile journey around the UK before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Offers
Twelve people, who have received conditional offers, will join Sebastian Coe, chairman of Locog, the Games organising committee, at an event in east London. More torchbearers will be introduced in 11 similar events across the country.
On parts of the journey the flame will go via horseback, bicycle, tram and steam train.
Among the first people to be offered a place today include;
Moira Starkey: 84 from Storridge, Herefordshire, nominated through LOCOG's public nomination campaign, who at 83 completed her first fundraising marathon by completing laps of her village hall;
Ciara Ennis: 14 from Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, nominated through LOCOG's public nomination campaign who is a tireless fundraiser for good causes in her local community;
Holly Hamill: 17 from Newtonabbey, Northern Ireland, nominated through Coca-Cola's public nomination campaign who regularly represents the Gymnastics and Movement for People with a Disability British National Rhythmic Gymnastics team;
Cameron Foster: 16 from Wigan, Greater Manchester, nominated through Coca-Cola's public nomination campaign who motivated by his own skiing accident and long rehabilitation, helps less able young people to get involved in sport;
Simon Brown: 32 from Morley, West Yorkshire, nominated through Lloyds TSB's public nomination campaign who lost his sight saving lives of colleagues whilst serving in Iraq and now helps young people to come to terms with their loss of sight;
Elin Haf Davies: 35 from Gwynedd, Wales, nominated through Lloyds TSB's public nomination campaign who was the first Welsh woman to row the Atlantic Ocean, and part of the first all female crew to row across the Indian Ocean, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity;
Darwin Bernardo: 23 from North London, nominated through Samsung's public nomination campaign who works to identify opportunities for young people to engage with their local community and;
Matt Short: 20 from Tonbridge, Kent, nominated through Samsung's public nomination campaign who was diagnosed in November 2007 with a rare form of bone cancer and has since set up and runs a charity to raise money for research into the disease.
Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, said: 'Huge congratulations to all those with an offer of an Olympic Torchbearer place. They are an exceptional group of individuals and it's an honour for us all that these people are one step closer to carrying the Olympic Flame on its exciting journey around the UK.'
Over 60,000 nominations were received across the four nomination campaigns. Each campaign incorporated a rigorous selection process and the nominations were read and evaluated by independent selection panels. Those who have not been successful with a nomination are invited to join the journey to the London 2012 Games by becoming a Local Leader.
