Have you seen the Olympic Torch Relay?

**Samba** · 13-06-2012, 03:19pm

Bop. You can't please 'em all!

***kate*** · 14-06-2012, 06:12pm

Originally Posted by Samba

Same here, but the torch passed the next village at 1.30pm - the school was given 50 passes by the Council to take pupils, the Head decided not to take them up as hardly fair on the other 400. I think making it an unauthorised absence is really shoddy

Just look at the responses on this thread about how good it was, councils really needs to get a grip on events outwith 'normal' parameters

Oh get this - our school apparently didn't get organised in time to apply to the council properly to take the whole school, so were only offered 30 spaces. They are using the spaces but instead of picking randomly, children have been "selected". I think unauthorised absence is poor too, especially as our secondary school are authorising it as an educational visit.

**Chell** · 14-06-2012, 08:05pm

What do you mean about the school needing passes?

The Queen was in our town yesterday. Our school sent letters before half term saying we could collect at 12 and take them to watch for her.

My friends children's schools said they couldn't go. At drop off time yesterday the Junior school decided they could go but parents had to sign holiday request forms. The secondary school had said they couldn't go. Apparently so many children went in with letter saying that they were leaving at lunchtime that the school relented. They allowed the kids that were left to call their parents to be collected.

It is bad when not al schools in a particular area are following the same procedure/policy. It is over 30 years since the Queen visited the town so it was a big event.

**Northern Angel** · 14-06-2012, 08:29pm

Its coming to Newcastle tomorrow and getting zip wired from the bridges on the Tyne.

At first I thought 'fab I'll somehow get there with Jack' as it is historic but then realised I am on office duty until 5pm in the centre of Newcastle with all the roads closed on a rolling basis from 4.30pm onwards, including the road I am on. So I'll be parking my car in the outskirts of the city tomorrow morning, getting the bus into town and then walking back to my car (2 miles) at 5pm, then hoping to god I can get back across the Scotswood Bridge as the main ones are shut. I am so p*ssed off with our management for not closing the office at 2pm like lots of other services. But will take my camera in case I see the torch while I am walking in the rain that is forecast... Or if I can't get home, I will walk along the Tyne to see the torch being zipwired but its not the same on your lonesome.

Its coming over our way on Saturday, in fact we may catch it at the top of my Mam's street where I grew up so I'd love to try to get a photo of it there

***kate*** · 14-06-2012, 08:47pm

NA - is the Tyne Bridge zip wire thing a ticketed event? (ie to get onto the Quayside) I've had conflicting reports that it is/isn't. If its not, I might take the kids tomorrow night.

**Northern Angel** · 14-06-2012, 09:15pm

The St Ann's Quay area is limited to ticket holders Kate, but you can access other areas of the Newcastle and Gateshead quayside. They're zipwiring the torch at 7.20pm and then showing the England game on a big screen on the quayside. This link gives more details. We've had a few emails today saying that there should not be disruption to transport etc, but the general consensus is that its going to be very busy and you should get out of town before 2pm! That said the rain will put some people off. I would go if you can. Unfortunately just not practical for us.

***kate*** · 14-06-2012, 09:31pm

Cool thanks NA :) I'll see what the older ones want to do, as they aren't coming to Alnwick with me in the morning, so it might be nice for them to see it.

**Cerise** · 14-06-2012, 10:25pm

We're going when it gets to us. I asked the head and she said she would authorise it but I keep forgetting to put the form in. I did tell her that I was taking them anyway, I just wanted to do what would work best for her stats :-)

**Northern Angel** · 15-06-2012, 10:11pm

Well Jack has brought the class cuddly toy 'cookie' and his book of adventures home this weekend (for his excellent behaviour at school this week

). Jack has to take Cookie out this weekend and take photos with him. We are now on a mission to try to get a photo of the olympic flame and Cookie for the book

ETA - BK just realised you did the same!

**Saffy** · 16-06-2012, 11:25am

It's coming here on Monday and we'll be going along to watch. The council have organised areas for every school child to go and watch - so DS's entire school are having a day out. They're not taking the Foundation Unit (which he's in) becuase they children are only there for mornings or afternoons and the torch will arrive over lunchtime-ish. So we've been told (unofficially) to take them out of school for the day, if we want, so they can all experience it. Seems sensible to me. If only it would stop raining....