Published on:
31
March 2014
Community baton bearers from Clackmannanshire are among thousands of people who today learned they are carrying the Queen's Baton, a thank-you from communities all across Scotland to the extraordinary individuals who make a positive difference to the lives of others.
Up to 4,000 baton bearers from all 32 Local Authorities will join the relay in more than 400 communities for 40 days, in what is the most engaging relay the nation has ever seen. The baton will travel through Clackmannanshire on Wednesday 25 June.
The Queen's Baton Relay team has published details of five successful candidates in Clackmannanshire including Alva Primary School PE teacher Fiona Lee, 1st Alva Guider Carolyn Luke, Ochil Mountain Rescue Team member John Willis, search and rescue dog handler John Chroston and community sport volunteer and Hillfoots Rugby Club member Michael Power.
Fiona was nominated for her tireless work to encourage young people to take a more active role in sport, improve their health and well-being, develop team skills and improve their resilience.
Carolyn has been a guider with 1st Alva Guides for 25 years, attending each week and assisting Girlguiding Clackmannanshire in a variety of roles, including adviser to the senior section girls, and most recently, as marketing and communications coordinator.
John Willis received his nomination after 30 years of volunteering for Ochils Mountain Rescue Team where he is deputy team leader and has attended over 300 rescues and has done hundreds of talks, presentations and school visits to promote mountain and hill safety.
John Chroston is a senior and long standing member of the local mountain rescue team and a dog handler with search and rescue organisation SARDA, devoting many hundreds of hours in training and in rescue missions each year.
Michael was nominated for his contribution to community sport and young people's health in Clackmannanshire, including at Hillfoots Rugby Club where juniors attending on a Sunday morning have increased from 10 to 250 playing members drawn from the Hillfoots communities.
Provost Tina Murphy commented: "Congratulations to everyone in Clackmannanshire who has been nominated to carry the Queen's Baton. Everyone can be proud of the determination, courage and selflessness all the baton bearers have shown to help make our county a better place to live in, and I hope that many people will turn out on 25 June to support them as they carry the baton round Clackmannanshire on its journey to the opening ceremony at Glasgow 2014."
Community baton bearers have been selected by independent panels, who have considered people's achievements against the odds, their mentoring of young people, contributions to community and youth sport, and those who make a difference through volunteering and community support.
On 23 July, the message Her Majesty placed in the baton will be read at the Opening Ceremony.
The Queen's Baton Relay is the world's most engaging relay, a unique tradition of the Games that unites the two billion citizens of the Commonwealth in a celebration of sport, diversity and peace. It will travel over 190,000 kilometres through 69 nations and territories of the Commonwealth, before arriving in Scotland on 14 June.
Those nominees who have not been successful will have the opportunity to be a part of the relay by attending the vast programme of sports and cultural events taking place along the route.