Olympic Torch Comes to Shepherd's Bush

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Sir Bruce Forsyth among torchbearers cheered by crowds

Thousands of enthiastic local people lined the streets of Shepherd's Bush on Thursday afternoon to welcome the Olympic Torch as it travelled around the area, taking in local landmarks such as Shepherd's Bush Green, the BBC and Loftus Road Football Ground.

Some of the loudest cheers were for veteran TV star Sir Bruce Forsyth who took the flame from fellow torchbearer Antoine de Navacelle on the site of the 1908 Olympic Games, now part of BBC Worldwide in Wood Lane.

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Sir Bruce Forysth and Antoine de Navacelle

Crowds on Shepherd's Bush Green

North side of Shepherd's Bush Green

Crowds on Wood Lane

The torch was passing through Hammersmith and Fulham as part of a circuitous route from Camden to Westminster on July 26, the eve of the Olympic Games opening ceremony.

After going through Fulham then turning east into Kensington and Chelsea, the torch came into Shepherd's Bush from Holland Park Avenue just after 3pm. After being carried around Shepherd's Bush Green by Oliver Boylan,who runs a children't football team in his home town of Wimborne in Dorset, it was passed to Dan Cooper, head coach of junior rowing at the Lea Rowing Club in Hackney.

Going north up Wood Lane, the torchbearer was Eileen Hobson, who suffers from a rare condition called Stiffman's Syndrome and relies on her assistance dog Sailor, who was given to her by a charity called Canine Partners. She now promotes the charity as well as helping her local church - with the help of Sailor.

At 3.30pm, outside TV Centre, the flame was passed to Chris Basiurski , Chair of the Gay Football Supporters' Network, who in turn passed it to Antoine de Navacelle. Antoine is the great grand-nephew of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games, and is himself closely involved in the Olympic movement.  Antoine then passed it to Bruce Forsyth in front of the plaque on the BBC Broadcast Centre marking the site of the White City Stadium, which hosted the Olympics in 1908.

Turning down South Africa Road, the torch was carried by a number of bearers including  the youngest member, 14 year-old Felix Allocca a talented young sportsman who has raised thousands of pounds for the Bone Cancer Research Trust since his sister Rose died of cancer at the age of eight.

Going past Loftus Road Stadium, the torch passed to Permjeet Dadhiala, who was nominated by her colleagues for bringing life to the BA Office in Nairobi; then to promising young sprinter Sophie Papps, 17, Oyinkansola Towry-Coker  and Catherine Nicholl, honorary insurance adviser to British Fencing and a volunteer for the Olympic fencing event at the London Games.

As it came along Uxbridge Road and back to Shepherd's Bush Green, the torch was carried out of the borough by Michael de Gorgio, who sold his thriving business to set up a charity, Greenhouse, to provide sporting opportunities to the most deprived children in London.

The full line-up of torchbearers for the Borough is Antoine De Navacelle, Bridget Stevenson, Catherine Nicoll, Chris Basiurski, Dan Cooper, Eileen Hobson, Emma Harley, Felix Allocca, George Fielding, Georgie Moseley, Lydia Mantle, Mary Mangan, Maurizio Stroppiana, Ollie Boylan, Penny Midgley, Permie Dadhiala, Samantha Timms, Sophie Papps and Sureena Sharma.

You can find out more about them and their stories at the London 2012 Torch Relay site

 

July 26, 2012