Queen’s Baton Relay visits Aylesbury
The baton was delivered to Stoke Mandeville Stadium this morning
The Queen's Baton Relay visited the birthplace of the Paralympics at Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Aylesbury at around 8am this morning.
Paralympic swimmer Will Perry kicked off the relay, before passing it on to former Commonwealth athlete Lesley Bryant and Buckinghamshire resident Felicity Amswych.
Pupils from Ashmead Combined School, Oak Green School, and Pebblebrook School also joined in the festivities, cheering and waving flags as the baton made its way around the stadium's track.
Will Perry said it was a "very special event to be a part of."
He added, "to be able to see the various dignitaries arrive and the school kids, it reminds me of the torch relay back in London 2012. I did watch that and I remember I was in the crowd thinking 'this is quite cool'."
Perry is due to take part in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham later this month.
Fellow batonbearer and former Commonwealth discus thrower, Lesley Bryant said, "it's like being at home, to be honest, to be on a track, it's lovely and this is the first time I've visited Stoke Mandeville."
The final batonbearer to take up the gauntlet was Aylesbury local Felicity Amswych who said it was her mum who nominated her to take part.
She said she was, "was over the moon and quite surprised" when she found out.
Where's the baton going next?
After leaving Aylesbury, the baton continued its 294 day journey which began on 7 October 2021.
For the remainder of the day, the baton was due to stop in Windsor, Southampton, and Portsmouth.
By the end of its tour, the baton will have visited all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth before arriving in Birmingham for the opening ceremony.
During the ceremony, which will take place on 28 July 2022, a message from the Queen which has been stored in the baton will be read out.