2012 Torch Relay: Olympic boost for Portland (From Dorset Echo)

2012 Torch Relay: Olympic boost for Portland

2:00pm Friday 22nd June 2012 in Weymouth and Portland Sailing Olympics and Paralympics 2012 News By Emma Walker

A PROUD Portland engineering company has been commissioned to produce 26 torches for the School to School Torch Relay.

Each school will get to keep one torch while the other will be used for the duration of the relay.

Calvin Samways, of Sea-NC Engineering on Southwell Business Park, said: “It’s a lot of hard work, from designing, to programming and machining but we wanted to do it. We are really proud to have been the company chosen to design the schools relay torch and we are also making 25 individual torches for each of the schools to keep.

“It is looking absolutely amazing at the moment. It is a different material to the London 2012 torch and we have tried to make it as outstanding as possible.

“We have put a diamond form on the handle with 25 holes in to represent each school like on the London torch there are 8,000 holes.

“They will all be gold plated and when they are finished will be a fantastic part of the legacy.”

The relay will kick off at the Nothe Fort on Monday, July 2, and end a week later on July 9.

Excitement is building as staff and children from each of the 25 schools in the Chesil Education Partnership will embrace the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games.

A total of 26 torches have been made – one for each school and the main torch used for the duration of the relay.

A flag and book of friendship will also be collected en route to present at the Sailing Academy along with the torch at the closing ceremony.