Hertfordshire to be part of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route

Hertfordshire will be welcoming the Olympic torch in July and everyone is invited to join in the celebrations.

Ten locations in the county have been announced as communities on route and will be celebrating the achievements of the Torchbearers chosen to carry the flame.

The Olympic flame will travel through Waltham Cross, including the Lee Valley White Water Centre, Hertford, Ware and Bishop’s Stortford on 7 July and Letchworth, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead on 8 July.

More than 1,000 villages, towns and cities have been announced by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) through which the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. LOCOG has worked closely with representatives from a number of sectors in the eastern region to devise the route.

Derrick Ashley, Chair of the Hertfordshire is Ready for Winners Partnership said: “The London 2012 Olympic Games brings a wealth of excitement to Hertfordshire and the torch relay will provide opportunities for communities to get together and celebrate not the only the Games, but to show support for the achievements of local people chosen to run with the Olympic flame.

“We are fortunate that the torch will visit ten towns in the county, giving plenty of cause for celebration. This is a great opportunity for local communities, and all of Hertfordshire residents will be within just a few miles of the torch at some point during the weekend celebrations."

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: ‘We are thrilled to confirm that Waltham Cross, Hertford, Ware, Bishop’s Stortford, Letchworth, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead will act as host locations for the Olympic Flame, extending an invitation to people in Hertfordshire to welcome the Olympic Torch Relay during its journey around the UK.

"This is the UK’s moment to shine and I want to encourage people across Hertfordshire to start planning how they can be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity and show their support for the inspirational Torchbearers chosen to carry the Olympic Flame as we count down to the start of the Olympic Games.”

Hertfordshire is Ready for Winners Volunteering is a new Games-inspired scheme that local community groups can use to extend the reach of celebrations focussed on the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route through Hertfordshire.

Herts is Ready for Winners Volunteering Coordinators are in place throughout the county armed with advice on branding, promotion, signposting to funding opportunities and also to manage events taking place in their area.

Individuals or groups wanting to get involved in Games inspired events and activities , including the Olympic Torch Relay, should also register for HRFW Volunteering at their local Volunteer Centre and then the Coordinators can get to work matching volunteer opportunities to Games inspired volunteers. Further details are also available here.

The 70 day Olympic Torch Relay will start at Land’s End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land’s End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.

In announcing the villages, towns and cities LOCOG has realised the aspiration of taking the Olympic Flame to within an hour’s journey time of 95% of the population. In fact, over 95% of the population will be within just 10 miles of the Olympic Flame next summer. The street by street detail of the route will be confirmed next year.

People are invited to view the interactive map at www.london2012.com/ olympictorchrelaymap to find their nearest community through which the Olympic Flame will be carried