Several towns and villages in Bedfordshire have been selected as locations for the Olympic Torch Relay around the United Kingdom.
The torch, which traditional travels around the country where the Olympics will be held, will arrive in the UK from Greece on 18th May 2012.
It will start its journey on Saturday 19th May at the most south westerly point of England, Lands’ End. It will then travel around England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales before finishing its journey at the newly built Olympic Stadium in London on 27th July.
One of the locations it will be visiting on its journey is the village of Cotton End which has a population of only 1000 people. Despite this, the location has been chosen as it makes a good stop off point between the bigger towns of Bedford and Luton.
Lloyd Conway, the chairman of Bedfordshire and Luton’s London 2012 Group said in July: “It would be a logical way to go and it might be just the fact that it’s on a decent road and gives them a chance to re-group.”
Mayor of Bedford, Dave Hodgson was delighted to announce the news saying: “We are expecting tremendous enthusiasm surrounding the Olympics next summer, and I believe we have an opportunity to translate that enthusiasm into lasting benefits for all.”
Another location in Bedfordshire which the torch will be visiting is Dunstable. The torch will pass through Dunstable on the 9th July after going through Luton.
Councillor James Jamieson, the leader of Central Bedfordshire County Council said: “Hosting the Olympic Torch Relay will shine a light on Dunstable and on our area as a whole. I hope that residents of all ages will join us for this historic occasion to share in the Olympic spirit and welcome the Flame to our area as part of the countdown to the start of the Games. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for local people to witness the spectacle of the Olympic Torch Relay and to support members of the community who have been chosen to run with the Olympic Flame.”
The Olympic Flame will be carried by 8,000 Torchbearers which all have inspirational stories. The torch itself has 8,000 decorative holes in the represent the people which will carry it around the country. The torch itself will travel around 8,000 miles across the UK.
The locations the torch will visit in Bedfordshire are Bedford, Cotton End, Luton and Dunstable between 8th and 9th July 2012.
