The arrival of the baton in Scotland on its journey to the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games will be marked by a sports-themed family fun day at Heriot-Watt University on Saturday 14 June, and there is still time to book your place.
The arrival of the Queen's Baton
The Edinburgh leg of the relay will begin on Saturday morning at 9:50am when the Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant Donald Wilson and Professor Steve Chapman, Principal of the University, will welcome the arrival of the baton.
The University's Edinburgh Campus has been chosen as the starting point for the Edinburgh events as it is the site of the forthcoming National Performance Centre for Sport (NPCS), which it won in a competitive selection process in September 2012.
The arrival of the baton in Scotland is a signal that Scotland's summer of sport is well and truly under way... this is a great opportunity to provide a fun way to welcome it here at Heriot-Watt, which is now set to become Scotland's national sporting centre.
To celebrate the event, a free carnival of family sports activity has been organised by South-West Edinburgh Community Sport Hub, and will showcase a number of local clubs through taster sessions and demonstrations to visitors. On offer will be 'come and try' sessions for bowls, table tennis, golf, rugby, weightlifting, gymnastics and dance. Heriot-Watt students and staff will hold sessions for football, tennis and Gaelic football as well as fitness routines and conduct campus walks for those wishing to explore the University.
Food stalls and children's fun play activities will also add to the enjoyment on the day while there will also be information stands on site promoting a wide range of local services and activities.
The Queen's Baton relay
The baton relay will take place from 10am to 10.35am on the University Avenue from the West Gait and people will be able to watch and cheer on the batonbearers. There will be nine batonbearers on this leg of the journey including Andrew Frost, a Team Scotland athlete who competes in hammer throw as well as local schoolchildren from the Currie and Balerno area.
The winners of two primary school competitions encouraging students to design and make their own batons and their Glasgow 2014 poster will also be announced on the day, with the best entries displayed near the information stalls.
Catriona McAllister, Heriot-Watt's Head of Sport and Exercise and Director of the NPCS said, "The arrival of the baton in Scotland is a signal that Scotland's summer of sport is well and truly under way. With so many schoolchildren and others learning all they can about the Commonwealth Games and taking on so many activities related to the baton, this is a great opportunity to provide a fun way to welcome it here at Heriot-Watt, which is now set to become Scotland's national sporting centre."
The Lord Provost Donald Wilson said, "It is fantastic that the Edinburgh leg of the Queen's Baton Relay begins at Heriot-Watt, home to Scotland's National Performance Centre for Sport. There are some fantastic family and community activities on offer at Heriot-Watt, and it is a great way to send the baton on its way around the capital."