Festival of fun planned for Queens Baton Relay

The countdown is on until the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay arrives in Renfrewshire – with a full-day festival of fun planned!

Article Source: Renfrewshire Council
Last Updated: 15 July 2014 13:09

Thursday 17 July will see the Baton – the symbol of the Glasgow 2014 Games – visit every one of Renfrewshire’s 15 towns and villages.

Renfrewshire Council has laid on a series of events along the route – which starts in Howwood at 8am and ends in Paisley around 6.30pm.

The highlight will be a 40-minute finale performance by the Commonwealth Youth Circus in Paisley’s Abbey Close at 6.30pm.

Members of the circus will be doing walkabout performances in the town centre during the day, with Pulse FM hosting live entertainment on stage in Abbey Close from 6pm.

Other events taking place around the area include:
- performances of The Pokey Hat street theatre show by Grinagog theatre company at Paisley Cross at 2.30pm and 4.45pm;
- street performers in Houstoun Square, Johnstone, from 8.30am to noon, with a performance of The Pokey Hat at 10.30am;
- street entertainers, face painters, kite-making and giant games in Renfrew Town Hall from noon until 5pm, plus sports hosted by Renfrewshire Leisure;
- the chance for members of the public to touch the baton in the grounds of Park Mains High School in Erskine from 2pm, plus a bouncy castle and giant games;

Any residents who want to get into the sporting spirit can come and try some of the Games sports at On-X sports centre in Linwood between 9am and 5pm.

To see the full street-level route map and find out when the baton visits your community – as well as the most up-to-date info on events and traffic – visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/qbr

The baton will be carried by around 150 specially-selected baton-bearers – many of them grassroots sporting and community champions from Renfrewshire.

Renfrewshire Council’s Queen’s Baton Relay programme is supported through Games for Scotland, managed by EventScotland, a key part of Legacy 2014 - the Scottish Government's commitment to deliver a lasting legacy as a result of the Commonwealth Games coming to Scotland.

The Games for Scotland programme of events are an opportunity for people to celebrate the arrival of the QBR to their local community whilst continuing to build on the Games legacy, whether that be through taking part in a cultural event, working together to celebrate the Games or being inspired to become more active.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Anne Hall – who will be out and about with the baton on the day – said: “The visit of the Queen’s Baton Relay to Renfrewshire is shaping up to be a day that will live long in the memory.

“People in every community in Renfrewshire will get the chance to see the baton and honour the local heroes who have been selected to carry it on its way.

“And with family events being laid on in each of our five towns along the route, there will be loads going on to get people out and about on this special day.”

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland said: “We are delighted to be working with Renfrewshire Council to deliver an inspiring and motivating event, building excitement in the run up to the Games.

“The Games for Scotland programme has been spreading the message of the Games around Scotland’s communities since 2010 and has proved to be hugely popular.

“The diverse programme of sport and dance events, which this year additionally celebrate the arrival of the Queen’s Baton Relay, extend the legacy of the Games beyond the host city to benefit communities throughout Scotland.”