A free breakfast will be held in Curtis Park and Civic Park on February 1, when the Queen’s Baton Relay reaches Armidale.
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Many of the region’s sporting greats, as well as a number of emerging talents, have been chosen among the 20 people who will carry the Baton from Armidale City Public School to Curtis Park, towards its final destination for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
Armidale Regional Council will help celebrate the Baton’s arrival in Armidale by hosting a community event in Curtis Park and Civic Park from 9am, including a free breakfast and musical entertainment.
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“We invite the whole community to line the streets to cheer on our baton bearers and join us for a morning of family fun at the park,” Armidale Regional Council Mayor Simon Murray said.
“Council has been working hard to prepare for the Commonwealth Games Baton Relay, which will be a wonderful celebration for our unique region. We have liaised with local schools to get them involved,” Cr Murray said.
“Council has also assisted Baton Relay organisers by establishing a traffic management plan for the Armidale leg of the relay.”
The local leg will begin at Armidale City Public School at 9.41am and will reach Curtis Park at 10.28am. Its arrival will include a 10-minute ceremony at Curtis Park before the relay heads out of the city towards Ebor.
Paralympic powerlifter Wayne Sharpe, Aboriginal Elder and community activist Steven Widders, young equestrian Sara Lynch and cycling stalwart Jock Bullen are among the local Baton Bearers. They will be joined by netball identities Julie Gates and Rochelle Joyce and martial arts instructor Anthony Kelly, a holder of many Guinness Book of Records titles.
The Baton will have travelled for 288 days before reaching Australian soil, landing in Melbourne on 24 December. It will pass through every Australian State and territory, carried by approximately 3800 Baton Bearers, before arriving on the Gold Coast for the XXI Commonwealth Games Opening ceremony on 4 April 2018.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will remove her Majesty’s message from the Baton and read it aloud to declare the Games open.
Visit gc2018.com/qbr to see the full route of the Queen’s Baton Relay, when it will reach each city and town, and a full list of baton bearers.
Armidale Baton Bearers:
- Fiona Bedford (Gymea Bay)
- Gregory Blanch (Armidale)
- David Boundy (Armidale)
- William Brunsden (Armidale)
- Jock Bullen (Armidale)
- Dennis Carson (Armidale)
- Chris Doherty (Armidale)
- Kay Endres (Armidale)
- Bruce Favell (Carina)
- Julie Gates (Armidale)
- Ron Jackson (Yarrowyck)
- Rochelle Joyce (Armidale)
- Anthony Kelly (Armidale)
- Aiden Kurikka (Arding)
- George Lowrey (Armidale)
- Sara Lynch (Armidale)
- Wayne Sharpe (Armidale)
- Steven Widders (Armidale)