Olympic Torch in Durham

The three Durham Clubs got together to offer our services as marshals for the passage of the Olympic Torch through Durham over the weekend of 16th & 17th June.  The responsibilities were not particularly onerous (essentially keeping the crowds happy!) - and we learned something of the enormous logistical operations needed to get the torch relay around the country.

On Saturday, as we assembled at Northumbria House prior to being bussed to our allotted locations, a great photo opportunity arose when Matt Baker was spotted, waiting for his turn to carry the Torch:-

Pictured with Matt is (l-r) Mike Hill (RC Durham), Tom Sharples, Alex Ayton and Glyn Seymour (all of RC Durham Elvet)
Thanks to Julie Proudlock of RC Durham Elvet for this photo.
 

More pictures from Saturday morning are on the RC Durham Elvet website.

As a marshal in the wrong place on Sunday morning, I wasn't able to get any decent photos of the torch, but I later grabbed three (low definition) images from the BBC's live streaming of the "Torchcam" on the internet:-

Mel French (RC Durham - in the hi-vis tabard) observes the
Mayoral Bodyguard for the Torch in Durham Market Place
early on Sunday morning ...

... and Arthur Charlton (RC Durham Elvet - in the hi-vis tabard)
pursues torch-bearer Paul Collingwood (as instructed!) through the Market Place.

But I was able to get this photo of part of the squad of 17 Rotary volunteers
as we waited for the minibus to take us back to base on Sunday morning.

And - for the record - I took this photo of the torch handover (or "Kiss") in nearby Langley Park
on Saturday afternoon - in pouring rain!

Isn't it amazing - the things we do in the name of Rotary!!

Eric Colling