Volunteers needed for 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay

June 24, 2022

Southend-on-Sea City Council will welcome The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay during its final journey through England next month, with a number of exciting events lined up to celebrate the City’s cultural brilliance.

The Queen’s Baton Relay is a journey which brings together and celebrates communities across the Commonwealth during the build-up to the Commonwealth Games. The Queen’s Baton Relay is set to travel the length and breadth of England for a total of 29 days, before culminating at the Opening Ceremony for Birmingham 2022 on 28 July 2022.

The council is seeking willing volunteers to help marshal the event. Hours required for this are 9am – 4pm and it is a great opportunity to be part of a huge sporting event that will go down as part of the City’s history. Anyone interested please apply at www.southend.gov.uk/volunteerqbr

As part of the Queen’s Baton Relay’s journey through Southend on Friday 8 July, the Queen’s Baton will set off from the top end of the High Street (Victoria Circus near the Odeon) at roughly 11.10am and work its way all the way down to Pier Hill for approximately 11.20am. The Baton will be carried through the High Street by four Batonbearers, each carrying the Baton for a different section. Once the Baton reaches Pier Hill, it will then be taken to Maldon for the next stage of the journey.

Events on the day, which begin at the top end of the High Street at 10am and conclude at Pier Hill at 3pm, include a Commonwealth ‘village’ of themed activities. There will be live entertainment with musical performances from the Music Man group, involvement from local schools, and the chance to try out some sports activities. There will also be a Bollywood dancing display and interactive workshops, as well as a dance performance from Brazilarte. More activities are being worked up, with a full programme of events set to be announced closer to the event. You can keep up to date with events planned on the day by visiting www.southend.gov.uk/QBR.

Cllr Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for culture, tourism and environment, said: “We are proud and privileged to host part of the Queen’s Baton Relay here in our City Centre. Having the opportunity to highlight the incredible cultural talent we have right on our doorstep as part of a nationwide celebration is a fantastic thing for the City.

“We need willing volunteers to be part of this special day for the City to help marshal the event throughout the day. We are keen to have as many local volunteers as possible, and this will be of interest to anyone that has a keen interest in sports.

“We have a really exciting line up of events planned with more still to be confirmed, with something all the family can enjoy – from Bollywood dance workshops, to choir and dance performances. We want this day to be community-based and we want to see people line the streets for this monumental day.

“The day is certain to be an amazing celebration of the Commonwealth, Southend-on-Sea and also the upcoming Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. We will share further updates as we approach the event.”

Southend-on-Sea City Council is working with the event organisers and Essex Police to minimise the disruption that comes with hosting an event like this.

Spectator barriers will line the route down the High Street, providing Batonbearers with a clear and safe path through the High Street, as well as providing an unobstructed view of the Batonbearers for the public.

To accommodate the event, it will be necessary to temporarily alter travel access through and near to the High Street while the Batonbearers run safely down the route, crossing several through roads. The Council, on the advice from Essex Police, will apply a number of road closures and diversions. Certain roads near to the High Street will have parking suspensions in place from the evening before the event (Thursday 7 July). Further information on traffic management for the event will be announced soon. Please check www.southend.gov.uk/QBR for updates.

The Queen’s Baton, which includes a message from the Queen to the Commonwealth, will be carried through Southend-on-Sea’s City Centre and down to the iconic Southend Pier by Batonbearers on Friday 8 July, in what is certain to be a day of celebration in the City.