Olympic Torch Relay visits Bisham Abbey

On Tuesday 10 July, the London 2012 Torch Relay ran through Bisham Abbey, one of Sport England’s National Sports Centres.

As a cornerstone of Team GB’s preparations for London 2012 and having played a key part in their record success at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, providing the training base for 29 of our medal-winning athletes, it fitting for the torch to pass through the grounds.

“To have the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay pass through Bisham Abbey is really exciting,” said Hannah Bladen, Strategic Lead for Sport England in the South East.  “Bisham is foresting a strong Olympic legacy by fusing strong elite and community ties.  There aren’t many places where members of the public can come and train alongside the country’s elite athletes and to have the torch relay visit us here really reinforces this.”

The torch was brought on to the site by Bailey Reese, 16, who has sent over 68,000 thank you packages to deployed troops through her nationally recognised organisation HeroHugs.org. 

The torch was then passed to Sam Shepherd in front of the 12^th century Abbey.  Twenty-two year-old Sam has spent much of his spare time raising money for charity through his love of sport.  He has raised thousands for the Charity Dreams Come True - parachute jumping, abseiling down buildings and completing the London Marathon. To coincide with the World Cup in South Africa he organised a 5 a side football competition for Marks and Spencer food group and its suppliers which raised £150,000 for the charity Habitat for Humanity.

By the time the Olympic Torch reaches the Olympic Stadium in ten days time, it will have been carried on its epic journey around the whole of the United Kingdom by 8,000 inspirational people, including 53 community sport volunteers nominated by Sport England.

To find out more about the Sport England torchbearers visit our torchbearers page or to find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, visit the London 2012 website.