Where to see the Commonwealth Games baton relay as Black Country route is revealed
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has unveiled the highly-anticipated route that the Queen’s Baton Relay will take in the West Midlands during the summer.
The final countdown to the opening ceremony will see the Baton spend 11 days travelling through the host region of the West Midlands, visiting Staffordshire and the Black Country as part of the route before finishing in Birmingham on July 28.
The West Midlands route is jam-packed with highlights of activity.
It begins with a visit to the Kidsgrove Pump Track. in Newcastle-under-Lyme. on July 18, travels by coracle on the River Severn on July 19, will wakeboard at Chasewater on July 20, and will visit the Black Country Museum on July 24.
From sports days with local schools, to community festivals, people will be able to experience the Baton in many ways.
Members of the public are encouraged to get involved with the celebrations and embrace the arrival of the Baton, taking the opportunity to experience the buzz of Birmingham 2022 in their community.
Thousands of baton-bearers, each with inspiring backgrounds and stories, will have the honour of carrying the Baton during the journey through England, including those nominated in recognition of their contributions to their local community, whether that be in sport, education, the arts, culture or charity.
Between 40 and 130 baton-bearers will carry the Baton each day, and the relay will reach hundreds of villages, towns and cities during its tour of the country.
On Monday, July 25, Sandwell will officially welcome the Baton, where it will visit a number of key locations in the borough.
Sandwell is one of only two authorities in the area to have the baton for a full day and this means there will be 100 baton-bearers running through the streets and parks of Sandwell, including some who will take on the mammoth uphill leg up Waterfall Lane.
The new Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Smethwick will host the diving and swimming events for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games from July 28 to August 8.
Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, leader of Sandwell Council, said: “The people of Sandwell are excited and honoured that our borough is hosting the Sandwell Aquatics Centre as part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and we look forward to the Queen’s Baton Relay taking place in the six towns.
“I would encourage the people of Sandwell to welcome and support the arrival of the Baton, and to be inspired by the backgrounds and stories of the baton-bearers from across the Commonwealth and here in Sandwell.”
Batonbearer Blind Dave Heeley said: “To be part of the buzz and excitement of Birmingham 2022 as a baton-bearer in the Queen’s Baton Relay is a great honour.
"To represent my community, to represent Sandwell on the world stage, that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I would encourage everyone to get involved with the celebrations and embrace the journey of the Baton through Sandwell."
On the afternoon of Tuesday, July 19, Stafford and Stone will officially welcome the Baton.
A busy schedule of activities and events are planned for the Queen’s Baton Relay, with opportunities to highlight untold stories from baton-bearers who are striving for change in their community.
During its time in the borough, the Queen’s Baton Relay will visit Stone’s Westbridge Park and town centre, and the award-winning Victoria Park in Stafford, where a number of activities are being lined up.
The schedule of activity for the Baton’s time in Stafford includes it being taken on a route from Stafford Castle to Victoria Park.
It will then be transported via vehicle to Stone - with the baton relay leaving Westbridge Park, into the town centre, before finishing at the canoe club.
Commonwealth Games baton's route in the West Midlands:
Monday, July 18 – Keele, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent, and Shrewsbury
Tuesday, July 19 – Ironbridge, Telford, Newport, Lilleshall, Stafford, Stone, Rudyard, and Leek
Wednesday, July 20 – Uttoxeter, Burton upon Trent, Lichfield, Burntwood, Chasewater, and Tamworth
Thursday, July 21 - Bodymoor Heath, Atherstone, Market Bosworth, Nuneaton, Bedworth, Rugby, and Coventry
Friday, July 22 – Kenilworth, Whitnash, Warwick, Gaydon, Stratford-upon-Avon, Broadway, Pershore, Upton-upon-Severn, Malvern, and Worcester
Saturday, July 23– Redditch, Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Bridgnorth, Codsall, Rugeley, Hednesford, Cannock, and Walsall
Sunday, July 24 – Wolverhampton, Halesowen, Stourbridge, Dudley, Brierley Hill
Monday, July 25 – Oldbury, Wednesbury, Tipton, Cradley Heath, Rowley Regis, Blackheath, Bearwood, Smethwick, and West Bromwich
Tuesday, July 26 - Castle Bromwich, Fordbridge, Chelmsley Wood, Marston Green, Hampton in Arden, Meriden, Berkswell, Balsall Common, Knowle, Dorridge, Cheswick Green, Hockley Heath, Dickens Heath, Shirley, and Solihull
Wednesday, July 27, & Thursday, July 20 – Birmingham (full route through the host city will be announced in due course)
Councillor Carolyn Trowbridge, cabinet member for leisure at Stafford Borough Council, said: "There has been a lot of work behind the scenes by the council, our partners Freedom Leisure, and the QBR organisers to ensure Stafford and Stone were chosen as venues on the route of this fantastic journey of the Baton.
"I hope people will join us in cheering on our worthy baton-bearers, and the celebration of the Commonwealth Games coming to the Midlands, in this amazing platinum jubilee year as Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ll, Head of the Commonwealth, marks an historic seven decades on the throne.
"We are liaising with the ‘relay’ committee and will be able to announce more of what to expect on the day in the coming weeks."
The relay will visit Staffordshire over four days, including Lichfield on July 20 and South Staffordshire and Cannock Chase on July 23.
Victoria Wilson, cabinet member for communities and culture at Staffordshire County Council said: “This is a really exciting time and it’s brilliant news that the Queen’s Baton Relay will be making several appearances in the county.
"I’m sure it will create an enormous buzz in the lead- up to the games in the summer and I would like to thank all our local baton-bearers who are taking part.
"The games will be a huge event for the region and we’re incredibly proud to be hosting two events - the men’s and women’s cycling time trials in the south of the county and the mountain biking in Cannock Chase.
"Both events will help showcase our amazing county to the world and a global audience."
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will be coming to Wolverhampton this summer during its final journey through England before the Commonwealth Games.
The Baton will be parachuted in by helicopter on Sunday, July 24, before baton-bearers take it on a tour of the city, giving them the chance to highlight stories of how they are striving for change in their community.
The Queen’s Baton Relay will begin at 8am in East Park with a parachute drop by The Wings Parachute Team.
It will then be taken on a road relay tour of the city, stopping off at a number of key locations including WV Active Aldersley before finishing with celebrations in Queen Square.
Members of the public are encouraged to get involved with the arrival of the Baton, with further details of events and where to line the route to be announced over the coming months on the Birmingham 2022 website.
Councillor Steve Evans, Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city environment and climate change, said: “What a thrill to be one of the places across the country to be hosting the Queen’s Baton Relay.
“Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is a major event for our region and the news that the relay will be coming through our city is absolutely fantastic. What a way to show off Wolverhampton and what we have to offer.
“I’d like to encourage as many residents as possible to get involved and line the route, cheering on our inspirational baton-bearers. This will be an amazing-lead up to the Games and an exciting event for the city, ready for us hosting the cycling time trial in West Park on August 4.”
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “I’m pleased to hear that the Queen’s Baton Relay route across England has now been revealed as it makes its way towards Birmingham on an epic 72-nation and territory journey across the Commonwealth.
“The final leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay enables communities the length and breadth of England to experience the excitement around Birmingham 2022 before the Baton lands in Birmingham to take centre stage at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony on July 28th.”
For more information on the Queen’s Baton Relay, visit birmingham2022.com/qbr
