Alderney snubbed over Olympic Torch relay - so AW steps in
Posted Tue 17th July 2012 at 11:46
Alderney has organised its own torch relay after being snubbed over flame carrying duties in Guernsey.
The Alderney Island Games Committee and the States of Alderney President's office put together a list of six young sports enthusiasts to Olympic organisers along with reasons why each should carry the torch.
But all 20 people selected to carry the flame when it reaches the Bailiwick are from Guernsey.
The Olympic Torch relay sees the torch carried 8,000 miles across Great Britain by 8,000 "inspirational people" over 70 days. The flame is due to visit both Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey on 15 July. It will be carried by 20 Guernsey residents including Commonwealth Games athletes cyclist Rob Smart and swimmer Tom Hollingsworth and Guernsey FC striker Ross Allen. Aldeney resident Pat Forey said Guernsey should have made sure that Alderney was represented.
Her grandson Sol Bower, a talented footballer and table tennis player, was one of the youngsters nominated locally to carry the torch. "I personally think it's wrong," she said. What annoys me with Guernsey is that we are part of the Bailiwick when they want us to be and not when they don't want us to be."
Now Alderney Week organisers have stepped in to redress the situatio. They have sourced a torch, with live oil-fuelled flame, that residents will carry in relay across the island to launch this year's Olympic Games themed Alderney Week. Alderney Week team leader Ronnie Cairnduff said: "It's very disappointing for a number of sports people on the island particularly those who have represented Guernsey but of course it's probably political somewhere along the line."We were going to have our games torch anyway, going between the different events, so we've had a rethink and we are going to have a torch relay to start the week off.
The torch's journey will start at Victoria Street on August 4th at midday and will arrive at Island Hall for the Opening Parade at 2pm. Anybody wanting to be a torch bearer can enter their name and contact details to the Torch Bearers List, held at the Tourist Information Centre or e-mail info@alderneyweek.net All entries must be received by 12pm on July 21st.
The Guernsey Bereavement Service has made three visits to Alderney over the past few months and would like to continue to help you. We are visiting the island again on
Tuesday, 23rd February 2024 and would invite anyone who feels they would like Bereavement Counselling to telephone the Bereavement Service Office on 257778 to make a time to meet one of our counsellors.
The Guernsey Bereavement Service has made three visits to Alderney over the past few months and would like to continue to help you. We are visiting the island again on
Tuesday, 23rd February 2024 and would invite anyone who feels they would like Bereavement Counselling to telephone the Bereavement Service Office on 257778 to make a time to meet one of our counsellors. 