Marking a year to the day that the Olympic Flame arrives into the UK, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today reveals the dates and locations for the evening celebration events taking place across the North West as part of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay.
A second, more detailed route announcement to be made later this year will provide information on the other cities, towns, villages and places of outstanding natural beauty, sports venues and community hubs the Olympic Flame will visit on each day of the Torch Relay in the North West.
Today LOCOG also launches the search for 8,000 Torch bearers to carry the Olympic Flame across the North West and the rest of the UK with the start of the LOCOG Moment to Shine public nomination campaign.
Together with the three Presenting Partners of the Olympic Torch Relay - Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung, LOCOG is inviting members of the public from across the North West to nominate inspirational people, give them their 'moment to shine' and have their story celebrated in the run up to the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: 'The Olympic Flame will shine a light right across the North West and we are thrilled to announce the first 8 stops in the region today and that range from larger evening celebrations to an exciting visit to the Isle of Man.
'I hope people right across the North West start to think about rewarding someone truly inspirational and give someone they know who has gone beyond their personal best, their moment to shine by nominating them to carry the Olympic Flame.'
Andy Worthington, Chair of the North West Steering Group for the 2012 Games, said: 'The evening celebrations will be an opportunity to experience some of the excitement of London 2012 right on our doorsteps, and to celebrate what is great about the North West.
'The eyes of the world will be on us for eight days next year and on those hundreds of people nominated to represent us as torch bearers. I would like to encourage everyone to nominate those special people who deserve this honour which really is once-in-a-lifetime.'
From the start point of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay at Land's End, an average of 110 people a day will take centre stage by carrying the Olympic Flame during its 70 day journey towards the Olympic Stadium in London.
The Olympic Flame will travel for approximately 12 hourseach day, concluding on 66 of the 70 days with an exciting early evening celebration event that will enable thousands of people each evening to enjoy a variety of entertainment and shows staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners with the support of the host Local Authority. Each celebration event will differ with locally programmed content on the stage which will add to the celebratory atmosphere. Many thousands more people are expected to celebrate along the route each day.
Running for six weeks from today, the LOCOG Torchbearer programme to find 2,012 inspirational people who have gone beyond their personal best will see nominations judged by local panels set up in each Nation and Region of the UK.
Go to www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelay to make your nomination. The deadline for making nominations is 11.59pm on Wednesday 29 June 2011.
Young people in particular from across the North West are encouraged to get involved, with half of the total number of Torchbearer places expected to go to people aged between 12 and 24 years of age who are considered leading lights in their local communities.
90% of the 8,000 Torchbearer places will be made available to the public through a number of channels, including the four public nomination campaigns to be run by LOCOG and the Presenting Partners - Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. The Presenting Partner campaigns will start in June 2011. Each of the 8,000 Torchbearers will have a story of achievement and or contribution to their local community.
Click here to download the Moment to Shine Torchbearer nomination factfile.
LOCOG today also announces the following Supporting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay: Worldwide Olympic Partner Visa, Tier One Partners BMW, BT and EDF Energy, Tier Three Providers Aggreko and Holiday Inn. More details of their involvement in the staging of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay will be released over the coming year.