Hackney to celebrate as London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route visits borough

The London 2012 Olympic Torch Tour route was announced earlier this week, and Hackney residents will have the chance to see the torch on Saturday 21st July - the week before the Opening Ceremony.

Residents will be invited to celebrate and welcome the Olympic flame after it has travelled to over 1,000 cities, towns and villages in the UK, before it will be used to light the Olympic Flame on the evening of Friday 27 July.

Hackney Council is planning to hold events as the torch travels through the borough to give local people the opportunity to get involved in the celebrations.

The Torch, which was designed by Hackney-based designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, will cross the borough boundary from Tower Hamlets, will travel through the borough on a route to be confirmed, and head towards Waltham Forest where it will make an evening stop.

Hackney Council is planning to hold events as the torch travels through the borough to give local people the opportunity to get involved in the celebrations. The  London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has worked closely with representatives from a number of sectors in Hackney to devise the route which will travel through each of the 33 London Boroughs as part of its journey.

Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney, said: "With just days to go until the start of the Games, there is likely to be a real sense of excitement as the Olympic Flame travels through Hackney. This will be a great chance for communities to come together and celebrate our role as a host borough." 

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: "We are thrilled to confirm that Hackney will act as a host location for the Olympic Flame on 21 July 2012, extending an invitation to people across the Borough to welcome the Olympic Torch Relay during its journey around the UK. This is the UK's moment to shine and I want to encourage people across Hackney to start planning how they can be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity and show their support for the inspirational Torchbearers chosen to carry the Olympic Flame as we count down to the start of the Olympic Games."

The 70 day Olympic Torch Relay, will start at Land's End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land's End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them. 

Over 95% of the population will be within just 10 miles of the Olympic Flame next summer. The street by street detail of the route will be confirmed next year. On the final day of the Olympic Torch Relay, it is LOCOG's intention that the Olympic Flame will travel down the River Thames as it makes its way to the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

Paralympic Games tickets were allocated this week, and applicants will be notified with any tickets they have successfully applied for. Did you get tickets? If so what are you going to watch? Let us know below. 

People are invited to view the interactive map to find their nearest community through which the Olympic Flame will be carried.