From Renfrewshire to Delhi

From Renfrewshire to Delhi: Local representative set off for bootcamp ahead of Commonwealth Games handover ceremony

Renfrewshire’s Provost wished good luck to an excited group of Renfrewshire representatives as they headed off for three intensive weeks of bootcamp, before taking part in the Glasgow 2014 Flag Handover Ceremony in Delhi next month.

Nine people from Renfrewshire, six dancers and three community sports ambassadors, have been selected to join representatives from across Scotland taking part in the performance, at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on October 14.

Before they go, they are taking part in for three intensive weeks of Bootcamp in Glasgow, where they will rehearse a mass choreographed dance routine for the ceremony.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Celia Lawson said: “I am delighted that this talented group will be representing Renfrewshire, performing in front of a capacity crowd of 60,000 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi. This is an amazing opportunity and we are all very excited for them. As well as taking part in the ceremony they will return to Renfrewshire and share their training and experience with local schools and communities, helping to build Renfrewshire’s legacy as the Gateway to the Games 2014. I am sure they will make us all proud.”

The Flag Handover Ceremony is the event that concludes the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and it will be the first public statement to the world that Glasgow will be the next Host City, inviting the world to Glasgow in four years time.

Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive John Scott said: “We deliberately developed an innovative recruitment model that would ensure that people from a range of communities and diverse backgrounds from all over Scotland would have the opportunity of a lifetime to proudly represent Scotland as part of the 346-strong Cast who will perform the eight minute performance.

“Glasgow Life who have managed the project worked closely with existing Scottish education, sports, arts and volunteering networks to recruit the Cast Members. This wasn’t the easiest route to take, but it was the one with the greatest potential to create a once in a lifetime opportunity for people from across Scotland. After the Handover Ceremony, cast members will become Ambassadors for the Games in their community, and will be involved with the Games for the next four years, leaving a positive and direct legacy that is Scotland-wide.”

Aileen Stevenson, 25, Kilbarchan said: “Going to Delhi is pretty awesome. It’s a good opportunity to see the world. It’s very exciting but I think it’s also going to be a lot of hard work.”

The Closing Ceremony will be broadcast in the UK on BBC2 from 2.30pm with the Flag Handover Ceremony starting at approximately 3.30pm.

Laura Savage, 23, from Foxbar, said: “I don’t even know where the boot camp is! I’m really excited and looking forward to it. It’ll be good to go and learn some choreography.”

The six dancers have been funded by Renfrewshire’s Local Area Committees for this project.