London 2012 - Olympics and Paralympics

The Olympic Torch Relay

Volunteer Event Marshals Required - Request An Application Form Today

The Council is currently recruiting 'Volunteer Event Marshals' to be part of the team to welcome the Olympic Flame on July 19th. A job description, time commitment and mandatory training details are now available together with an application from Martin Goodhew either by email martingoodhew@swale.gov.uk, call 01795 417399 or by post at Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent. ME10 3 HT.

The Torch Comes to Faversham

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Torch.

Faversham has been chosen as a host location for the Olympic Torch Relay and, therefore, Swale Borough Council is extending an invitation to residents to welcome the Olympic Flame as it travels through the Town between 16:52 and 17:40 on Thursday July 19th.

People from Faversham and the surrounding communities can come to the town and share in the excitement that the Relay will bring and celebrate the achievements of the chosen Faversham Torchbearers.

Faversham is one of over 1,000 villages, towns and cities announced by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) through which the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, which is presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.

View the street-level Torch Relay Route as it starts in Love Lane into Whitstable Road, where it will take a short break at the Queen Elizabeth ll Jubilee Centre. It will then continue along Whitstable Road into East Street turning left into Preston Street, right on to Forbes Road into The Mall, across the A2 onto the A251 where it will return to 'convoy mode' on the way to Challock from the entrance of the fire station.

It should be noted that the Torch Convoy will split at the junction of East Street and Newton Road, as the sponsor and some convoy vehicles will turn left and travel up Newton Road and then right into Station Road while the Torch Bearer and will continue across the junction and turn left up Preston Street. The Torch Bearer and convoy will rejoin the junction of Station Road and Preston Street, where the vehicles will wait for the Torch Bearer.

Swale Borough Council in developing an 'Event Plan' for the Torch Relay is working with LOCOG and emergency services to keep traffic disruption to a minimum with the majority of the route remaining open to traffic through Faversham during the event. However there will be temporary halts of traffic managed by the Torch Convoy escort as the Torch Bearer crosses local road junctions. The only road closures which will come into effect from 3pm until 7pm will be in Court Street (where the gate will be closed), Stone Street at the junction of Bank Street and the top of Preston Street with Station Road. Barriers may be removed earlier at the discretion of the Head Steward.

Where the torch route crosses the A2 from The Mall onto the A251 and changes back into 'convoy mode' the torch escort will manage the traffic which will result in short delays in the area. It is expected to be at this point at approximately 17:35 and so if you are not wishing to see the torch an alternative route is advised.

In addition to the existing Council car parking provision in Faversham which will operate normally, the Council will be providing free parking between 8am - 8pm in the grounds of Abbey School on London Road, which is only minutes from the torch route for all visitors to the Town. All visitors are encouraged to use public transport and if travelling from further afield the Olympic Flame will be carried very near to Faversham Railway Station as it travels out of Preston Street on to Forbes Road at approximately 17:30.

On the route there will be a temporary suspension of parking bays in East Street, St Marys Road, and Preston Street.

The Council's Event Plan is a live document and following approval and further guidance from Swale's Safety Advisory Group residents and businesses on the route will be receiving written notification of the event and possible disruption. This communication should be delivered in June, with further details to be found in 'Inside Swale' the Council's newsletter which is due to be delivered week commencing June 25th. In the meantime residents and businesses are encouraged to plan for some disruption to deliveries and the ability to travel around the roads in the proximity of the torch route during the early evening on Thursday July 19th.

A 'Sports, Physical Activity and Cultural Taster Event' will be held at the Recreation Ground in Faversham between 10am and 4pm. Swale Borough Council's Sports Development Team is working with local clubs and some regional sports organisations to provide the opportunity to try a wide range of sporting activities. The Kent Cultural Baton and the mobile arts space ROOM will also be on site. If you would like to know more about the event or get involved please call James Thatcher on 01795 417109 or send James an email.

To find out more about Faversham as a destination, its' community, businesses and a wealth of local information please explore the Faversham.org website. Information for visitors who would like to explore the whole of Swale are encouraged to check out 'Visit Swale' the Council's Destination Management System website.

Keeping Kent Moving

During the Olympic Games Kent County Council aim to keep people informed of traffic congestion, possible delays to train journeys and any events that may occur, as well as any business and travel advice to find out more go to Kent County Council - London 2012 webpage

Transport For London

Have you thought about your travel plans at Games time? Will your regular travel be affected?

To help you plan your journeys and avoid those times and places when it is expected to be exceptionally busy 'Transport for London' has developed a website to get you ahead of the Games.

You can now find out whether stations or lines you use will be amongst those most affected with predicted day‑by‑day impact, along with advice on your options. For the first time, this ’Hotspot’ detail now covers Tube, DLR, London Overground and National Rail and is available for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

To review this and to start exploring your options, please visit GetAheadoftheGames.com .

How You Can Get Involved In London 2012 - Participation Programmes

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Torch.

The London Olympic Committee Organising Group (LOCOG) has launched two public participation programmes.

London 2012 Local Leader

The ‘Local Leaders’ initiative is an invitation to people to take the 2012 Games into their community and create their own celebrations for the Olympic Torch Relay and other key moments during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

People are encouraged to sign up to the Local Leader programme on the London 2012 Local Leader website to receive further information on a range of themed celebration ideas focusing on the Opening Ceremony evening, gardening, quizzes and barbecues and be in the front row to receive free London 2012 event materials to support events.

Swale Borough Council is keen to support and encourage 'Local Leaders' in Swale and has arranged two 'Workshops' on May 15th at the Alexander Centre in Faversham to provide guidance and promotion to anyone planning to arrange activity to celebrate London 2012 and specifically the Faversham leg of the Olympic Torch Relay. The free Workshops will take place in the Sidney Room between 1.30 - 3pm and 6.30 - 8.30pm, please book a free place by email Swale Borough Council Project Officer Martin Goodhew or call 01795 417399.

Find out about London 2012's official education programme 'Get Set'. The aim of the resource is to provide schools with cross-curricular resources aimed at teachers working with 3 to 16 year olds to aid learning around history of Olympic Torch Relays, the design of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay and the Torch itself. A further education resource will launch soon to encourage schools to plan a welcome for the Olympic Flame and show support for the Torchbearers. Lloyds TSB, official Education Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, have launched their Flame Followers schools programme which compliments the Get Set resources, and gives schools once-in-a-lifetime opportunities be right at the heart of the excitement and celebrations of the Relay. In Swale Assistant Head Teacher Mr Simon Finlan of Abbey School in Faversham has been leading on London 2012 and is coordinating a 'Big School Event' on Monday July 16th at Abbey School.

The London 2012 Business Network is your one-stop shop for finding out how your business can get involved in London 2012. Delivering the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games requires the procurement of goods, works and services from an enormous range of firms. Visit the CompeteFor website to view London 2012 tender opportunities throughout the supply chain.

'Kent Businesses and The London 2012 Games' is a pdf guide produced by Kent County Council for Kent Businesses and Service Providers on how to plan for and consider 'business continuity' in the summer of 2012.

The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad website provides information about the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements. The culmination of the Cultural Olympiad is the London 2012 Festival, bringing leading artists from all over the world together from 21 June - 9 September 2012 in the UK’s biggest ever festival - a chance for everyone to celebrate London 2012 through dance, music, theatre, the visual arts, film and digital innovation, and leave a lasting legacy for the arts in the UK.

As a Cultural Olympiad project, Discovering Places has been able to bring together the key projects available to historic and natural environment organisations from the plethora of activities happening over the year. It’s all in the newly launched Heritage Toolkit, with the relevant information in an easy-to-digest format. The toolkit also sheds light on the many other organisations involved in London 2012.

As Lloyd Grossman, Chairman of The Heritage Alliance, said: "London 2012 has a particular emphasis on the involvement of local communities so that people throughout the UK feel that they can participate in activities associated with the Games, and the heritage sector is ideally placed to help with this."

The Heritage Toolkit is now available to download on the Discovering Places and The Heritage Alliance websites. If you represent a heritage group or attraction and would like to discuss the opportunities on offer please contact Claire@discoveringplaces.co.uk

Olympic Torch Relay More Information

London 2012 website answers to frequently asked questions about the Olympic Torch Relay.

You can also view an animation of the Olympic Torch Relay route on the London 2012 website

More Information

Swale's Olympic News

View our news releases about the Olympics:

Sky Ride Local - Big Cycling Event For 2012

Join us for a fantastic bike ride as we celebrate the opening of Kent's Cyclopark. It doesn’t matter what kind of bike you ride, or if you haven’t ridden for ages – everyone’s invited.

It's a great opportunity to experience this amazing £9 million pound cycling centre in a very special atmosphere. The route gives you a chance to try out Cyclopark's amazing facilities for road, BMX and off-road riding. For local event details please check out Kent Sky Ride website.

Part of the project includes a series of 'Community Bike Workshops' featuring a bicycle recycling weekend aiming to get as many bikes as possible back in working order in time for the Community Sky Rides across Kent, for more information and to book a place please email 'The Big Bike Fix', or call 08458 247800.