FORRES will be getting its hands on its very own Olympic torch with an event which is being organised by the Walk, Jog, Run Moray group, who have commissioned a special replica torch - identical to the original, from a Forres craftsman.
The torch did a tour of schools in Forres with local leisure manager, Doug Cowie, before being given into the hands of Moray Council’s sports co-ordinator, Kim Patterson, who is co-ordinating the Moray Relay event.
The relay starts on Friday, June 8 in Elgin and then heads in a clockwise direction around Moray visiting Duffus, Lossiemouth, Lhanbryde, Garmouth, Spey Bay, Portgordon, Buckie, Portessie, Findochty, Portknockie, Cullen, Newmill, Keith, Drummuir, Dufftown, Craigellachie, Aberlour, Rothes, Miltonduff, Dallas, Rafford, Forres, Dyke, Kinloss and Burghead before returning to finish in Elgin on Wednesday, June 13.
This event is timed to take place at the same time as the Official Olympic Torch is making its way round Scotland, with the offical item arriving in Tomintoul on June 11 to be welcomed by a mini-school Olympics, local fete and the new Moray High Choir.
Local groups are also planning four events to take place during the time of the actual Olympics in August.
There will be A 10k race in Buckie on Saturday, August 4, a 3k race in Elgin on August 8 with Relay races in Forres on Friday, August 10 and finally a 5k in Dufftown on Saturday, August 11. These events are taking place on the same day as these distance events will be competed for at the London Olympics.
The Torch Relay will be in the Forres area on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 12 and 13.
This covers a route of 46.7 miles, with Moravian Orienteering Club, Forres Jogscotland and Forres Harriers organising the routes and the events.
On June 12 It will leave Mosstowie Primary School at 9am heading for Dallas Primary School, departing at 10.45 for Rafford Village Hall then heading to Dallas Dhu for 12.30pm and then on to Forres Academy where it will be till about 1.30pm when it will be passed to Applegrove and then to Pilmuir where it will leave at 2pm, heading for Dyke School.
It will depart Dyke and then leave at 3pm, heading for the Broom of Moy, which is on the SUSTRANS cycle route into Forres, with the torch heading at about 4.3pm for Grant Park, due to arrive at about 5pm.
For those who are not taking part during the day, there could be an opportunity for them to get involved, with a special run around Grant Park, later that evening, being organised by the ForresJogscotland group.
The next morning (June 13) the torch will set out from Andersons Primary School at about 9am destination Kinloss Primary School where it will head at 9.45am for Roseisle Forest and then onto Alves Primary School, leaving for Burghead at 10.45am and then onto Newton and the rest of its relay around Moray.
Each of the school stop times includes about fifteen minutes spent at each school where pupils will have the opportunity to run around their fields with the torch.
