Queen's Baton Relay

The city of Birmingham (UK) will host the 2022 Commonwealth Games from 28 July to 8 August. Just as the Olympics have a flame, so the Commonwealth Games have a baton. Last October HM the Queen launched the Queen's Baton Relay from Buckingham Palace, which is taking a symbolic (and hi-tech - see HERE - it's fascinating!) Baton, containing a special message from the Queen, to visit all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth, over a total of 294 days and covering 140,000 km. Its journey will conclude at the opening of the Games on 28 July. 

After its tour around the world, it is now travelling through the UK and arrived in Bradford on 12 July. A team of baton bearers carried it from Lister Park to Saltaire's Roberts Park, so I was fortunate to be able to see it. The baton bearers include athletes and people noted for their work in the community, though I haven't been able to find a list of names of the local people involved. 

Along with quite a few other spectators, I positioned myself outside the Victoria Hall, which happened to be one of the handover points for the baton. The baton bearers, in pink tops, were guided and protected by a squad of runners (in orange tops), for security I guess. The baton must be worth a fair bit! 

In the park, there were dancers and a squad of cyclists that had preceded the baton procession, along with a crowd of spectators. Some of the baton bearers were having their photos taken with the baton. It was all good fun, but they were clearly working to a tight schedule since, quite soon, an official took the baton and placed it in a protective bag, and then the orange crew all ran off out of the park with it. I'm assuming the baton and its crew would be transported to their next venue in Leeds. There were several vehicles around with Baton Relay signage. In Leeds, the baton was due to be carried from Leeds Dock through the city centre to Millennium Square, held aloft by the triathletes Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee, among others.