One month to go until the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay visits West Northants!

16 June 2022

People wanting to cheer the Batonbearers as the Relay makes its way across the town during its final journey through England this summer now have the first glimpse of the route it will take.

The Relay will begin at Marefair outside Sol Central at 8am, before travelling up Gold Street and on to George Row, then into St Giles Square before a photo shoot outside the Guildhall.

The Baton will then travel down Guildhall Road, St Johns Street, Swan Street, across Victoria Promenade and on to Beckets Park, across the new pedestrian bridge and into the University of Northampton campus, ending at University Drive at approximately 8:30am.

The West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) Active Lives Team are working alongside local partners to coordinate a celebration event following the baton relay to embrace the arrival of the Baton and experience the buzz of Birmingham 2022 in the community.

The event will be a collaboration of local partners and community groups, which in turn will raise awareness of local services and activities for communities to access.

Members of the public, schools and families are invited to get involved and join the celebration event which will take place at University Drive from 8am - midday.

Some of the partners in attendance on the day include Public Health, Northampton Saints, Trilogy Leisure, Northampton Rowing Club, Peak Empower, Northamptonshire County Cricket Club and others. There will also be a range of activities planned for the day.

Cllr Adam Brown, WNC’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for housing, culture and leisure, said: "We would like to invite people from across Northamptonshire to come and join us on Sunday, 10 July to celebrate the arrival of the Queen’s Baton Relay and give its Batonbearers an incredible welcome.

"We’ve designed the route through the town centre to include plenty of space for people to come along and cheer on the Relay as it makes its journey to the University.

"It is certainly not an event to miss and a chance for the people of Northamptonshire to be a part of this historic occasion."

The Queen’s Baton Relay is set to travel the length and breadth of England for a total of 29 days, before culminating at the Opening Ceremony for Birmingham 2022 on July 28.

The relay in England was kicked off last year on Thursday, 2 June when the Baton spent four days in London, coinciding with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend.

The Baton then resumed its international journey across the Commonwealth, which began in Cyprus in October of last year, and returns to England on Monday, July 4 to start a 25-day tour of the regions.

Thousands of Batonbearers, each with inspiring backgrounds and stories, will have the honour of carrying the Baton during the journey through England.

Batonbearers were nominated in recognition of their contributions to their local community and being an inspiration to others.