Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, is encouraging residents to welcome the Paralympic Flame at Beverley Minster on Friday 24th August, from 5.00pm until 6.30pm.
Paralympic Torch
The London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay will take place from Friday 24th until Wednesday 29th August, with four separate flames being lit in London, Belfast, Edinburgh, and Cardiff. On Friday, a torch will travel from Trafalgar Square in London to York where it will be collected by Town Crier Michael Wood and sledge hockey player Matt Woollias.
The flame will then be transported to Beverley Leisure Complex, for a celebration event. Afterwards, it will be escorted to Beverley Minster and Michael Wood will recite an Ode on the steps outside. Reverend Fiona Mayor-Jones will then take the flame and the public viewing will commence.
Graham said, “It’s great that Beverley has been selected as one of a chosen few communities across the country to host a celebration for the Paralympic Flame. I hope that as many people as possible will turn out to show their support for our Team GB Paralympic athletes.”
I went to the Beverley Leisure Centre on the afternoon of 23 August, to see preparations for the Paralympic event. There were none. No flags, no welcome signs, no notices of closure to the public. I asked 3 staff about the event, and 2 had never heard of it, one had just heard that the pool might be closed. The public were not being told this. I was assured that the Centre would be open as usual all day, including the sports hall. Perhaps these are the phantom Beverley games – or else many citizens are going to turn up for their usual sports and be sent away.