Bradford Gold
John Dennis
Just a quick "Olympic" update following a Bradford Gold Meeting
yesterday (thanks to Andy Ross for sorting).
There is now an independent Bradford Gold website atwww.bradford.gold.com.
The events calendar on the site is now being populated with news about
events (sporting and cultural) in the Bradford district leading up to
the Olympics and Paralympics.
It contains links to enable people who are promoting events or want to
get involved to make contact and publicise them and will also contain
details of things like the Olympic Torch Relay.
It also contains some of the wider intiatives that are going on in
Bradford and in Yorkshire (as part of Yorkshire Gold) around the games.
We also heard from the BBC about the plans for the Big Screen in
Centenary Square in Bradford. This will be broadcasting BBC coverage of
the Olympics throughout July and August and offers a great way to watch
events collectively for the whole day or at lunchtime or whatever if you
can't make it to London or don't have Olympic tickets. On a typical day
coverage will start with Olympic Breakfast from 0600 to 0915, followed
by full coverage (with an emphasis on key Team GB events) from 0915 to
2230. It will round off with highlights from 2230 to 2300. Bradford
Council are looking at putting some seating there and the bars and
concessions will also be open. If it's hot there's also a chance to
have a paddle or a sit by the new mirror pool or stand under a fountain
now that the Central Park is open (and looking good)! (Note that the
Paralympics are being screened by Channel 4 and so negotiation about
Paralympic coverage on the big screens is still underway).
The BBC are keen to hear of events and activities that take place around
the screenings, which bring people into the city and which might also
include getting some turbo bikes and watt bikes set up during cycling
events and rowing machines for the rowing, etc. All ideas are welcome
and the best might get on to Look North or even National TV.
Other key events (Queens Jubilee, Wimbledon, etc) will also be screened
leading up to the games themselves. The Media Museum in Bradford is
also screening the Olympic Coverage in HD in the Cubby Broccoli Cinema -
contact the Media Museum for details
(http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk).
In terms of key dates, Sunday 24th June is the day that the Olympic
Torch Relay comes through Bradford - it will be in runner mode in the
centre, past Lister Park, then in convoy mode to Keighley, runner mode
there, convoy to Skipton, runner mode there, convoy to Ilkley, runner
mode there and then off to Leeds overnight. There will be events at all
the main runner-mode locations.
Monday 25th June marks a huge schools' festival at Odsal and events for
schools will go on for the rest of that week. For details contact Phil
Wagner (phil....@bradford.gov.uk) There will also be an allied event
in Keighley on Wednesday 27th June that will probably include activities
in Cliffe Castle Park and an opportunity to take part in some events on
the athletics track at the adjacent University Academy Keighley.
Lots of people are already involved but there is still scope for ideas
and involvement so have a look at the website and see how you and/or
your event and activity might fit in!
Cheers
John (Dennis)