Are you a baton bearer?

THE SEARCH is on for up to 60 sports role models from Shetland, who are being offered the honour of carrying the Queen’s baton across the isles as part of the run-up to the Commonwealth Games next year.

The Queen’s Baton Relay will be in Shetland on Tuesday 1 July 2014, just three weeks before the grand opening of the Glasgow games.

Before reaching Shetland, the baton, whose journey began on Thursday, will be carried across the globe through the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.

Organisers are seeking nominations for batonbearers before 22 November via the www.glasgow2014.com website.

SIC convener Malcolm Bell said: “This event will focus the eyes of the nation on Shetland and provide a great opportunity for local people to be recognised for their contributions towards our community, particularly in field sports and work with young people.”

The council’s sport and leisure manager, Neil Watt, added: “I really hope that people from across the whole of the islands will take the time to nominate someone who they know has made a real difference to their community.”

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To be a baton bearer, you must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• be 12 years old or older at the date of nomination;
• have made a positive contribution to the lives of others through community sport;
• have undertaken voluntary work or contributed to schools or youth organisations;
• have contributed towards greater inclusion for disadvantaged or marginalised sectors of the community;
• have been a role model or mentor to youth through sport;
• have displayed a level of individual achievement against the odds; and
• made a significant contribution to the local community.