City landmarks set for key role in parade of London 2012 heroes
ROUTE details of a parade taking place next month to celebrate Britain’s Olympians and Paralympians have been revealed, with the City hosting the starting point for the celebration.
Around 800 athletes, including several medal winners, are set to partake in the procession, which will depart from Mansion House at 1.30pm on Monday 10 September. The event will be known as the Our Greatest Team Parade and will see the athletes stationed on 21 floats.
They will initially travel along Queen Victoria Street and Cannon Street, passing St Paul’s Cathedral, before embarking down Fleet Street, past Aldwych and into The Strand, eventually reaching Trafalgar Square. This section of the parade will be open to the public, while a big screen providing live commentary will be stationed at the base of Nelson’s Column.
The parade will continue through Admiralty Arch and into The Mall, prior to travelling down to the Queen Victoria Memorial. This part of the route, however, will be restricted to groups who made a significant contribution to the success of the Games, with tickets provided for 14,000 volunteers, members of the emergency services and military, Olympic coaches and staff, athletes’ families and school pupils from every London borough.
Mayor Boris Johnson said: “This is a chance to celebrate the heroes and heroines who have thrilled us with their skills, sportsmanship, and grace during London’s spectacular Olympic and Paralympic Games, and whose names and triumphs will live on for centuries to come.”