8th February 2012

LYME REGIS: Town gets ready for Olympic Torch

By Philip Evans

LYME Regis is gearing up for once-in-a-lifetime experience - the passing of the Olympic Torch through the town.

Lyme has been chosen as one of 42 communities in Dorset where through the Olympic Torch will be passing prior to the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The last Olympic Games to be held in London was in 1948 when the nearest town to play host to the Olympic Torch was Honiton.

The torch will pass through Lyme on Thursday, July 12th but the actual time and route is a closely guarded secret and will not be revealed until two weeks before the event.

Mayor Sally Holman has set up Lyme’s Olympic Torch Organising Group (OTOG) to co-ordinate a programme of events to celebrate this unique occasion.

Local schools from the town and surrounding area will all be invited to participate with a meeting with school leaders taking place this Friday.

At a training workshop held in Weymouth last week for community leaders taking part in the Olympic Torch Relay, Councillor Holman and Councillor Gillian Summers, chairman of West Dorset District Council, paused to be photographed (see right) with the Olympic torch used in Beijing. The workshop covered security details and towns and villages shared and developed their plans for participating.

Councillor Holman, with her OTOG group, is working hard on creating a special experience for spectators in Lyme Regis, and Councillor Summers is helping Chickerell with their plans.

Councillor Holman told the View from Lyme Regis: “Much of the detail of the route and timings is provisional at this stage, and we are not allowed to make that public yet, but there is already a great deal of enthusiasm for the Olympic Torch Relay.

“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of us and we are determined that our children, students and older residents and our visitors will have the opportunity to be part of it if they wish.

“We are holding meetings with local schools and organisations, with the town council taking the lead. Added to that, this will be a unique opportunity to show Lyme in its best light.”

LYME REGIS: Town gets ready for Olympic Torch

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