Queen's baton relay arrives in Scotland

Thursday 24 March 2005

With the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne only a year away, the Queen’s Baton Relay will arrive in Scotland this weekend visiting some of Scotland’s most iconic locations.

The baton will arrive at Glasgow Airport at 1655 hours on Sunday 27 March and leave on Thursday 31 March 2005. It will be met by Patricia Ferguson, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport and Louise Martin, Chairman, Commonwealth Games for Scotland, as it lands on Scottish soil.

The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay started from Buckingham Place on Commonwealth Day, 14 March 2005, and concludes one year and one day later on 15 March 2006 as the Queen’s Baton is carried into the opening ceremony of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The Queen’s Baton contains a special message from Her Majesty, which will be read at the Games opening ceremony.

During the year the Queen’s Baton will travel more than 180,000kms visiting all 71 nations of the Commonwealth, home to nearly 1/3 of the world’s population.

Acknowledging the arrival of the Queen’s Baton in Scotland, Louise Martin said: "With our preparations underway for the Games in Melbourne next March we are delighted to host the Queen’s Baton in Scotland. The Commonwealth Games is the largest multi-sport event in which Scotland competes as a nation in its own right, providing a unique platform for our athletes to perform. We hope that through the Baton’s visit to Scotland we will inspire our athletes to train hard to qualify for the team, and encourage the public to get behind the team in the build-up to the Games."

Queen's baton programme

Sunday 27 March

1655 Glasgow Airport - Arrival of Queen’s Baton

Met by, Patricia Ferguson (Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport), Louise Martin CBE, (Chairman, Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland), Jon Doig (Chief Executive, CGCS)

Monday 28 March Glasgow

1145 Kelvinhall, Glasgow - Athletics junior development squad

1245 Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) - photo call

1300-1400 Glasgow Science Centre – photocall

1430-1515 Tollcross Pool - Glasgow swimming development group

1530-1600 Hampden Park Stadium - photocall

Tuesday 29 March

1030-1130 Melrose Rugby Club (birthplace of Rugby Sevens)

Schools Rugby Sevens programme with Melrose Grammar, St Marys Primary School, coach Rob Moffatt and members of the national rugby sevens squad.

1230-1330 Edinburgh Castle - Scottish Parliament. Lord Provost of Edinburgh Lesley Hind and Allan Wells - photocall

1430-1500 Drive to Stirling via Forth Bridges - photocall

1530-1700 Clydesdale Bank Queen’s Baton Relay run from Stirling branch to University of Stirling, Bridge of Allan - photocall

1900-2100 Scottish Commonwealth Games Thistle Club Function, University of Stirling

Wednesday 30 March

Stirling Council Schools programme:

0930 - 1000   St Mary’s Dunblane (school number 81)
1020 - 1050    Thornhill School (school number 79)
1100 - 1130    Kippen School (school number 119)
1145 - 1215    Cambusbarron School (school number 253)
1315 - 1345    Braehead School (school number 385)
1415 - 1445     Raploch School (school run 202)

1900 Clydesdale Bank Dinner, Hilton Hotel Glasgow

Thursday 31st March

08.55 Departure Glasgow Airport

1. The Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland (CGCS) is the organisation responsible for selecting and preparing the team representing Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. CGCS is financed through sponsorship and fundraising activities, grant support from sportscotland and following the 2002 Games, an Endowment Trust Fund initiated by the First Minister Jack McConnell.
2. Scotland has competed in every Games since the first British Empire Games in 1930 winning a total of 301 medals (71 gold, 87 silver, 143 bronze).
3. The 2002 team was the second most successful Scottish Team’s ever (next to Edinburgh in 1986), winning 30 medals: 6 gold; 8 silver and 16 bronze finishing in 10th place overall in the medal table.
4. The XVIII Commonwealth Games will take place in Melbourne, Australia 15-26 March 2006. Scotland will be competing in 15 out of 16 sports (not netball) at the Games: Aquatics; Athletics; Badminton; Basketball; Boxing; Cycling; Gymnastics; Hockey; Lawn Bowls; Rugby 7s; Shooting; Squash; Table Tennis; Triathlon; Weightlifting. There will be events for elite athletes with disabilities in swimming and athletics.
5. The selection period for athletes will run from 1st January – 16th September 2005. Athletes achieving the selection standard will be nominated to CGCS by their respective governing body of sport.  CGCS will then consider all nominations against the sport's selection policy and the full team will be announced by 3 November 2005. However meeting the selection standard does not in itself guarantee a place on the team. All selections and final entries will be dependent on evidence of form and fitness from 1st November 2005. A copy of the overall team and individual sport selection policy is available from CGCS.
6. The total cost of preparing and taking a team to represent Scotland at the 2006 Commonwealth Games is estimated around £500,000.
7. Clydesdale Bank was established in 1838 in Glasgow and has a proud history of innovation and support for Scottish industry and communities. With 2,800 staff and around 230 branches, Clydesdale is one of Scotland’s largest banks. In 1987, Clydesdale Bank became a member of the National Australia Bank Group. In March 2005, Clydesdale Bank became the proud sponsor of the Scottish Commonwealth Games Team as it prepares to participate in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.