Queen’s Baton Relay concert line-up revealed

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Broughton student Anna McLuckie (above) will be one of the artists heading the line-up at the Ross Bandstand next Saturday (14 June) when crowds gather for ane evening celebration of the Queen’s Baton Relay.

Featuring a mix of music and dance entertainment, and special guest appearances from sporting stars in association with Glasgow 2014 and Team Scotland, the free concert will offer families the perfect opportunity to cheer on the baton at the climax of its relay route around the capital.

Anna, who lives in Stockbridge, came to prominence when performing on the BBC’s The Voice and her interpretation of Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ has generated almost 7.5 million views on You Tube. Anna, who has been playing the harp since she was nine, has been offered a place to study at the prestigious Northern College of Music in Manchester.

She is now looking forward to performing at Saturday’s event.  Anna said: “I’m very excited to play my part in Edinburgh’s build up to the Commonwealth Games, I feel so lucky that it’s all happening on my doorstep! It’s going to be a great night.”

The concert will also feature award-winning contemporary folk bank Rura and will be presented by comedian, writer and ‘Still Game’ actor Sanjeev Kohli. Other acts include alternative Scottish hip-hop group Stanley Odd and the Love Music Community Choir.

The Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton is scheduled to arrive in Scotland on the morning of Saturday 14 June in Coldstream before being welcomed to Edinburgh at Heriot-Watt University. The baton will travel throughout Edinburgh, spending the day at various locations and attractions in the city including Meadowbank Stadium and the Royal Commonwealth Pool – which will host the Glasgow 2014 diving competition – before reaching the Ross Bandstand for the Edinburgh Evening Celebrations.

Councillor Steve Cardownie, Festivals and Events Champion at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Edinburgh’s Evening Celebrations will be the culmination to a day of festivities for the pending arrival of the baton and will bring together some of the brightest and best music acts from the capital.

“It will also offer the chance to cheer on some of Team Scotland’s sporting stars ahead of their Commonwealth Games competitions. What better way to celebrate the day of the Queen’s Baton Relay in Edinburgh than a concert in the heart of the city against the spectacular backdrop of Princes Street Gardens and the Castle.”

Sanjeev Kohli said: “The arrival of the baton feels like the official start of an absolutely mammoth year for Scotland. We’ve all been waiting for the party to start, and this event is the equivalent of the cling film finally being taken off the buffet. And I DO NOT want to miss that!”

Edinburgh’s Evening Celebrations will take place at the Ross Bandstand in West Princes Street Gardens on Saturday 14 June between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

Tickets are free and still available to book.

Reservations can be made through the Usher Hall box office, either online at www.usherhall.co.uk or in person.

Dean’s gonna be an Edinburgh baton bearer!

Lucky nominees from across Edinburgh found out today that they have been chosen to be a baton bearer on 14 June when the Queen’s Baton Relay reaches the city on the first day of its Commonwealth Games journey around Scotland – and among Edinburgh’s representatives will be Dean Reill, champion fundraiser of Leith’s MS Therapy Centre.

Up to 4,000 batonbearers from all 32 local authorities in Scotland were notified by email this morning that they will join the relay in more than 400 Scottish communities for 40 days.

Community baton bearers were selected by independent panels, who have considered people’s achievements against the odds, their mentoring of younger people, contributions to community and youth sport, and those who make a difference through volunteering and community support.

For the first time in the history of any Queen’s Baton Relay, all 545 secondary schools in Scotland were invited to nominate a pupil to participate as a batonbearer.

Cllr Steve Cardownie, Edinburgh’s Festivals & Events Champion, said: “We are thoroughly looking forward to welcoming the baton to Edinburgh – and to Scotland – on 14 June. We have over 100 baton bearers, including a pupil from every secondary school, each of whom will play an important part in the celebrations taking place throughout the day.

“We’ve worked very hard with the organisers to send the baton to as many parts of the city as possible and to allow baton bearers to run through their own communities, cheered on by their friends and family. I was fortunate enough to be on the selection committee for Edinburgh and was hugely impressed with the standard of nominations. I have no doubt our baton bearers will do themselves and their city proud.”

Among the Edinburgh citizens receiving the happy news today was MS Therapy Champion Dean Reilly.

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Dean (pictured above) was diagnosed with MS in October 2012, after losing the sight in one eye. Since then, he has raised awareness of MS and championed the services offered at the MS Therapy Centre which supports Edinburgh and the Lothians. He has taken up boxing, completed 4 10k runs, the Mighty Deer Stalker and the Edinburgh marathon, raising over £5,000 for the centre. He also writes a blog, raising awareness of MS, and has remained incredibly positive and pro-active since being diagnosed – and he’s just fought Steve ‘Celtic Warrior’ Collins in a fundraising charity boxing match!

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Also selected today was Lynne McNicoll (pictured above) , who has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for children affected by cancer in the Edinburgh area with her charity, It’s Good 2 Give. Her dedication for raising money for others is 24/7, 365 days a year. Lynne volunteers every minute, takes no pay and is a pillar of the Edinburgh community. She said: “I’m really delighted to be chosen to be a baton bearer. Welcoming the Baton to Scotland will an amazing opportunity and I just can’t wait. I’m currently in training for a five kilometer race which will hopefully help me get fit in time for the Queen’s Baton Relay!”

News of more local baton bearers will follow, but in the meantime you can follow the build up to to the Edinburgh leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay on social media using the hashtag #EdinBatonRelay.

To follow the baton visit www.glasgow2014.com/batonrelay

 

Support MYDG as they swim … the Commonwealth!

mydg

Please please support the 24 hour Swimathon which is being held on behalf of MYDG this Thursday (3 April) from 9am. Money raised will support field trips, outdoor activities and MYDG’s commonwealth summer sports programme. The target is to swim the 11,421 miles from Glasgow to all 70 commonwealth countries participating in Glasgow 2014. Please note each length will represent one mile.

You can pick up a sponsor form from MYDG’s office in Craigroyston Community High School or the Community Shop on Pennywell Road.

Alternatively, you can make a donation online at our justgiving site which is

www.justgiving.com/mydg.

Or using your phone by:

Texting SWIM14 followed by the amount: £1, £3, £5, £10 to the number 70070
Your code —- SWIM14
With the amount —- £1
Text this to——— 70070
70070

You can also come along and swim, volunteer with the running of the event!

Please forward this to family, friends and colleagues so we can make this event the success it should and can be!

 

Dean Shanks

Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG)