Make a noise and support the Olympics
14 August 2008
South Gloucestershire residents can join in the celebrations when the Olympic Games are officially handed over to London for 2012 on 24 August.
South Gloucestershire has been awarded an official Olympic handover flag which will be raised at 4pm at Kingswood Civic Centre by the Chair of South Gloucestershire Council, Councillor Brian Freeguard. Residents are invited to come and share the moment and to bring their own flags to wave.
The handover of the flag at 4pm will be immediately followed by “two minutes of noise”, a creative antidote to the “two minutes’ silence” often used to mark more solemn moments in time.
All South Gloucestershire churches have been invited to lead the noise by the pealing of church bells as the South West has a strong tradition of bell ringing. St Michael Archangel at Two Mile Hill is among the churches planning to take part.
And South Gloucestershire libraries will be playing world music to highlight the start of a four year programme to celebrate culture in the build up to the 2012 Olympics.
South Gloucestershire Leisure, which runs the district's leisure centres, are offering free swimming sessions on the Sunday.
The free sessions are:
4.00pm - 6.00pm Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre
2.00pm - 4.00pm Kingswood Leisure Centre
2.30pm - 4.30pm Longwell Leisure Centre
2.30pm - 4.30pm Yate Leisure Centre
1.30pm - 3.30pm Thornbury Leisure Centre
The athletics track at Yate Outdoor Sports Complex will be open for free use between 2.30pm and 4.30pm.
Councillor Heather Goddard, executive member for communities, said: "London 2012 is important not only for the capital, but has an impact on whole of the country. These local events give everyone the opportunity to get involved and show that mass participation is great fun."
ENDS