Ceremonial cauldron to be lit at Cardiff City Hall ahead of Paralympic Torch Relay Flame Festival

·         Para-cyclist Simon Richardson to light ceremonial cauldron outside City Hall in Cardiff

·         Flame festival featuring a spectacular lantern procession and inspirational Torchbearers to be held at Roald Dahl Plass

·         Images from the day can be downloaded here

The London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has revealed the details around the lighting of a ceremonial cauldron outside City Hall in Cardiff tomorrow ( Monday 27 August) to celebrate the 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay and Paralympic Games.

The Welsh Flame that will light the cauldron was created at the top of Snowdon by Scouts who struck a ferrocerium rod against a rough steel surface to create the sparks for the Flame.

The ceremonial cauldron will be lit at 8am outside City Hall in Cardiff. The Flame will be lit bySimon Richardson who won two Gold medals and one Silver medal as part of the para-cycling team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.  In 2001, Simon was involved in a car accident which left him with serious injuries and no feeling down his left hand side. Following his rehabilitation in 2005 he began to cycle again, and very soon was competing nationally and then internationally. He was awarded the MBE in December 2008 for his services to disability sport. In August 2011, Richardson was injured again when struck by a hit and run driver, whilst he was cycling. He was described as being in critical condition, with fractures to the spine, a broken pelvis, a broken breast bone, cuts to his legs, and a detached lung.

During the event, representatives from  Swansea and Conwy  will light a lantern from the cauldron to take the Flame to their associated Flame Celebration events

At 10.50am the Flame will visit two wards at Rockwood Hospital in Cardiff as part of a community stop.

At 12.20pm the Flame will visit the House of Sport Coaching Academy in Cardiff as part of a community stop.

The day culminates with the Flame Festival from 7pm where a spectacular lantern procession of over 200 people will accompany Torchbearers as the Welsh Flame arrives in Roald Dahl Plass on its way to Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic Movement. The Torchbearers are:

Simon Weston. In 1982 the Sir Galahad was destroyed in Bluff Cove on the Falkland Islands. On board was Simon Weston, Welsh Guardsman, a name and face that was going to become well known for his struggle to overcome his injuries (46% burns) and redefine his role in life.
Simon endured years of re-constructive surgery, including 70 major operations or surgical procedures. He remains a tireless worker for the charity and his charitable work earned him an OBE in the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours. He was also awarded Freedom of the City of Liverpool in 2002 in recognition of his bravery and his charity work in the region.

Nazim Erdem. Nazim became a quadriplegic in 1990 when he dove into shallow water, breaking his neck. Prior to his accident, Nazim was an amateur boxer and played local AFL football. In 1992, he started playing wheelchair rugby and in 1997 he made his debut on the Australian team.Choosing wheelchair rugby for its ‘roughness,’ Nazim has had a successful sporting career. At the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, he was a member of the silver medal winning team and this remains his greatest sporting moment despite winning another silver in Beijing.

Andrew Burt, 48, who was nominated through Lloyds TSB, has been the dedicated Judo coach of Pontarddulais Judo Club for the last 15 years, teaching children, disabled / able bodied and children with behavioural problems the discipline and team work that comes with the martial art. Andrew has also been actively involved in coaching the Welsh disabled team and has taken them on many overseas trips. He is a key member of our local community; he welcomes everyone to his home and acts like a best friend to anyone who needs help. Andrew had an accident a few years ago and had to have his leg amputated due to septicaemia. Andrew`s dream was to fight in the Olympics and if he had the opportunity to be involved in London 2012 it would be the highlight of his life.

Sarah Murray, 43. Sarah, who was nominated by Lloyds TSB, has aIready run several marathons and in 2012 is planning to run 2012 miles to raise £201,200 to fund a holiday home for use by families of children with disabilities Thrive CARDIFF is a charity run by parents, for parents/children with all sorts of disabilities. Sarah is the mother of a child with Down Syndrome and Autism. She is a single mum who, alongside looking after her own son, has supported hundreds of families as they come to terms with having a child with disabilities.

Sarah Anderson, 30, who was nominated through Sainsbury’s. Sarah works for Sainsbury’s in Swansea and has been there for nearly five years. She is a trained first aider who helped a gentleman who needed medical attention at work.

Mark Williams, 43, who was nominated through Sainsbury’s, helped a man who had collapsed in a customer restaurant at work.  The man was breathing but unconscious and he called for the emergency services and continued to monitor the patient until the paramedics arrived and took over and took the man to hospital.

Robyn Johnson, 21, was nominated through BT. She was nominated by her sister, an athlete, and has spent countless hours watching her train, and compete, and is always the first to give me advice and listen to my ideas. Robyn has witnessed, first hand, the importance that the Paralympics can have in a person's life and the direction and drive it can give. She is a massive supporter of Paralympic sport in general, not just swimming, and will happily educate people and encourage involvement.

Timothy McVea, was nominated through BT. Tim was nominated by his best friend and played a massive role in me achieving his goal of becoming a Paralympic champion in Beijing 2008. They studied together at university where Tim supported his friend as he juggled studying with training to become a Parlalympic athlete. Tim attended the Paralympics in 2008 as a supporter Dan has also travelled to other competitions to provide assistance to his friend. He is a kind and informed character who understands the significance of the Paralympic movement.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: “The National Flame in Wales will help to light the way to the Paralympic Games. It will also give people in Wales the chance to celebrate the amazing achievements of the Torchbearers who all embody the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality.”

Welsh Government Sports Minister, Huw Lewis said, “Following on from the spectacular, lighting ceremony on top of Snowdon, its pleasing that so many more people will have the opportunity to witness the Paralympic Torch pass through another iconic part of Wales. It is particularly poignant that the ceremonial cauldron will be lit by Simon Richardson, who perfectly embodies the courage and determination of the Paralympic spirit.”

The Leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Heather Joyce said: “This summer has been so exciting for everyone in the UK with a fantastic Olympic Games and now just days away from the start of the Paralympics and in Cardiff we have been so proud to be involved in so many different ways.

“We are delighted to be one of only three cities to host the Paralympic Flame Festival and the ceremonial lighting of the flame and what better place for the cauldron to be lit than in front of City Hall with the iconic Agitos in the backdrop?

“I am really looking forward to seeing people in Cardiff turn out to enjoy the Flame Festival celebrations and to show support and admiration for the Paralympians competing in this year’s Games as well as celebrate their fantastic achievements and success in being selected to represent their country in this way.”

As a proud sponsor of the Paralympics, BT will be providing entertainment on the main stage at the Flame Festival with a high energy drumming team getting the crowd going. There will also be an interactive BT area where visitors can have their photos taken with a Paralympic Torch, sign their good luck message to Paralympics GB on a huge signing wall, pick up a supporters flag and listen to BT’s steel drumming band The Melodians.   

Suzi Williams, Director, BT Group Marketing and Brand, added: "At BT we understand the power of Paralympic sport to inspire people, that's why we've brought teams together to run with the Paralympic Torch. It’s fantastic that people in Wales have the opportunity to share the Flame’sjourney to London - this is their moment to be at the heart of a once in a lifetime experience.”

As Presenting Partner of the Paralympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB is proud to be bringing the inspiration of the Paralympic Games closer to customers and communities across the UK with a unique fusion of street performance, theatre and sport from the Lloyds TSB Flame Followers, who will inspire and excite crowds at the Flame Festival with a performance that celebrates the endeavour, athleticism, agility and skill of Paralympics GB, our national Paralympic sporting heroes.

Sally Hancock, Director, London 2012 Partnership at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We are looking forward to the Welsh Flame arriving at Cardiff’s City Hall on Monday, to light the Celebration Cauldron ahead of the Flames uniting to form the Paralympic Flame on Tuesday. Lloyds TSB will be bringing the excitement of the Paralympic Games to Wales at the Cardiff Flame Festival. We are immensely proud of our inspirational Torchbearers such as Sarah Murray from Pontprennau and Andrew Burt from Swansea who will carry the Welsh Flame into the Festival. We are calling on everyone to come to the Flame Festival for the arrival of the Flame and to cheer on our Paralympic Torchbearers.”

Sainsbury’s, the first ever Paralympic Games only sponsor, will be hosting a specially created Paralympic Flame lighting. Attendees will be able to light the Paralympic Cauldron with a ‘virtual flame’ through an interactive video and then will be given a unique code to download the video and share with their friends through social media channels.

The retailer will also be hosting the opportunity for all those going to the Flame Festivals, to have their photo taken with the Paralympic Torch, as well as activities for children including face painting, balloon modelling and more.

Former X Factor and Pop Star To Opera Star winner Joe McElderry will also be performing onstage to entertain the thousands of excited Paralympic Games supporters.

Jat Sahota, Head of Sponsorship, Sainsbury’s commented: “As proud partners of the Paralympic Torch Relay and the Flame Festivals, we have already taken the Torch into Sainsbury’s stores right across the country. We now look forward to sharing this once in a lifetime experience with our Sainsbury’s customers, colleagues and Torchbearers as the National Flames begin their journey to the Olympic Stadium.”

The Flame Festival will feature performances from the Wales Millennium Centre's own choirs, Hard Côr and Only Kids Aloud, Scarabeus aerial performers and the Tredegar Brass Band.

The Paralympic Flame will be created by uniting the four National Flames during a special ceremony from 4.30pm-8pm at Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic movement, on Tuesday 28^th August. The Flame will then be carried by Torchbearers, working in teams of five, during a 24-hour relay to the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The Relay starts at 8pm and finishes the next day at 10pm. It will travel through Aylesbury, Weston Turville, Aston Clinton, Tring, Berkhamsted, Bourne End, Watford, Bushey, Harrow, Brent, Barnet, City of Westminster, Camden, The City of London, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lewisham, Greenwich, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham and Newham.