Nottingham will welcome the Queen's Baton Relay by taking it on a trip down the Nottingham and Beeston Canal. The baton will sail down the canal on a kayak as part of its tour around the Commonwealth before ending its route in Birmingham.
Birmingham 2022 is hosting the 16th Queen's Baton Relay which see communities across the Commonwealth coming together ahead of the Games at the end of the month. The baton will spend 29 days in England ahead of Birmingham 2022 and will make a stop in Nottingham on Sunday, July 10.
Kicking off on June 2, the baton had four days in London as part of the Jubilee celebrations and has had a tour of the Commonwealth. It returns to England on July 4 to commence a 25 day tour of the country.
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Nottingham gets a visit on Sunday 10 July where the baton will make a stop at the sold out IT20 England v India match at Trent Bridge. From there it will also make a stop to Nottingham Castle and experience a ride along the canal.
It will then travel through the network of caves to Nottingham Castle. A detailed schedule of activity for the Baton’s time in Nottinghamshire will be revealed in due course.
Residents of Nottingham are encouraged to get involved in the celebrations and embrace the arrival of the baton to the city. Nottingham Castle is putting on an afternoon of music and entertainment to celebrate its arrival.
There are 3,000 free tickets available to Nottingham residents. One of the confirmed Batonbearers in the East Midlands is Amdani Juma, who was nominated with the help of the British Red Cross.
He arrived in the UK following the 1994 Rwandan genocide and inspired by the support he received, Amdani started volunteering for the British Red Cross. In 2007, he set up his own HIV awareness project called African Institute for Social Development which offers health services and support.
It gained the interest of Prince Harry who was impressed by the methods of engagement used to support African men, women, and small businesses. In 2013, inspired by the London 2012 Olympics, Amdani set up Nottingham Sports Group, geared towards making sports accessible, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following this, Amdani set up Sanctuary Nottingham with the idea of a self-help group for LGBTQ+ refugees. Amdani also works in cooperation with Nottingham City Council, NHS and police network in Nottingham to offer support.
Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Planning at Nottingham City Council said: “We look forward to welcoming the Baton into the city in July and working with our colleagues at Trent Bridge, Nottingham Castle, and Visit Nottinghamshire to showcase the best of the area.
"Being able to experience World-Class sport, historic waterways, the famous Nottingham Castle and the legends of Robin Hood, over such as short journey will make for a great experience for the Batonbearers. I would like to extend my congratulations to community baton bearer, Amdani Juma on his nomination and to thank him for his incredible hard work in the city and beyond.”
David Johns, interim CEO of Nottingham Castle, said: “It’s a real honour to be welcoming the Queen’s Baton Relay to Nottingham on Sunday 10 July. The Relay marks an important opportunity to bring communities together and celebrate the upcoming Commonwealth Games, so the fact it’s making a pitstop to Nottingham is really special.
"Nottingham is a city steeped in history with a thriving and vibrant community, and so much to see and do. This includes its network of famous caves and Nottingham Castle with its stunning grounds and rich collection of art.
“We’re incredibly proud of our city and we look forward to shining a light on all Nottingham and the East Midlands has to offer during the upcoming visit.”
Robert Dixon – Interim Chief Executive of Visit Nottinghamshire said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Queen’s Baton Relay is coming to Nottingham and hope that as many residents as possible will turn out to line the route and be part of the celebrations. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase Nottingham and Nottinghamshire as a visitor destination and highlight our vibrant history, culture and sporting heritage.”
The dates of when the Baton visits each region are:
- 4 July – 5 July: South West
- 6 July – 7 July: South East
- 8 July – 9 July: East of England
- 10 July – 11 July: East Midlands
- 12 July – 13 July: Yorkshire and the Humber
- 14 July – 15 July: North East
- 16 July – 17 July: North West
- 18 July – 28 July: West Midlands
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