Millions across the UK get set to join in London 2012 opening celebrations

With one week to go the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games, millions of people across the UK are preparing to join in a day of celebrations on Friday the 27 July.

The day will commence with bells ringing across the UK at 8.12am for 3 minutes as quickly and loudly as possible as part of the London 2012 Festival commission 'All The Bells' by Turner Prize winning artist Martin Creed.

Thousands of people have already registered and the performance has captured the imagination of organisations including The Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, The British Army, The RAF, the National Trust, The Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers, the National Theatre, the Church of England, the Arts Council and Creative Scotland, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, The National Football Museum, The Sports Heritage Network, Discovering Places, The Churches Conservation Trust, the Mayor of London, the Archbishop of Westminster, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Open Morris, The British Federation of Youth Marching Band Organisations, The Girl Guides Association, The Royal British Legion, the Women’s Institute and many more.

The event will be broadcast by the BBC to a potential live audience of over 10 million people across the UK on TV, radio and online - including BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 2 Chris Evans Breakfast Show and BBC local radio stations.

Anyone can take part by ringing any kind of bell for three minutes - from experienced change ringing experts of tower bells to enthusiastic children with hand bells, bicycle bells and doorbells.

London 2012 has announced that from today subscribers to the latest update of the free official London 2012 Join In App will be able to tap or shake their phone like a hand bell to release the Martin Creed bell sequence. This will allow users to join in with the event whether they are on the way to work or at home. Information about how to get the latest update of the Join In App is available at www.london2012.com/mobileapps. To get involved in ‘All The Bells’ all individuals, communities and organisations are encouraged to register at www.allthebells.com and register their interest in taking part on the day, register their own bell-ringing event for others to join, and even download the Martin Creed ringtone for free.

Friday 27 July marks the final day of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. Already 10 million people have lined the route of the Torch Relay, and on the final day of its journey, the Relay will gather momentum at Hampton Court Palace where Torchbearers will carry the Flame around the grounds of the Palace and through the world’s oldest hedge maze. The Flame will then be carried on board Gloriana, The Queen’s Rowbarge which was presented to and named by Her Majesty The Queen in a ceremony that took place earlier this year and will provide a lasting legacy to mark Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. The Flame will light a ceremonial cauldron on board Gloriana and over the course of the morning seven Torchbearers will light a Torch from the cauldron and carry the Flame for about eight minutes each at selected areas that are viewable from the banks of the River. Gloriana will be rowed by 16 oarsmen and women who will be drawn from a squad of 28 rowers on-board on the day. The squad is made up of former British Olympic crews dating back to the 1948 Games and ‘Olympians of the future’ from London Youth Rowing. Gloriana will be accompanied by a small number of craft designed to showcase London’s waterborne heritage as the Flame makes its way to Tower Bridge.

The finale to the public participation in the Torch Relay will see the last Torchbearer on the River Thames carry the Flame to Tower Bridge for a final photo opportunity in front the Olympic Rings at approximately 12.45pm. The Flame will then remain out of public view at City Hall until it appears at the London 2012 Opening Ceremony.

The worldwide broadcast of Danny Boyle's 'Isles of Wonder' Olympic Opening Ceremony to an estimated billion people around the world will commence at 9.00pm, and more than 15,000 London 2012 Local Leaders across the UK are planning ‘Opening Night In’ parties to kick start the Games celebrations. Local Leaders are being encouraged to host celebrations for their friends, families and communities that include party games to finger food and fancy dress to decorations.

Local Leader Harriet De Freitas, from West Sussex, has organised 50 of her closest family and friends to gather at her house for an ‘Opening Night In’ party, as long as they come dressed as Team GB athletes – Harriet is going as Jessica Ennis and her sister is going to be Zara Tindall. Local Leaders Nicola Stanton and Graham Clegg from Walsall will theme their wedding day on 27 July around the Olympic Games, and will be screening the Ceremony as part of their evening celebrations.

London 2012 have got everything you need to throw the perfect ‘Opening Night In’ party including ideas, invites and recipes on the Local Leaders website, www.london2012.com/openingnightin.

The Olympic Games Opening Ceremony will be screened on the London 2012 Live Sites in 22 towns and cities across the UK where communities will come together and cheer on the athletes throughout the summer. In Swindon local people will be able to enjoy performances from Swindon Dance whilst people can enjoy a bungee run, Sumo wrestling and jousting sticks which anyone can have a go at for free whilst street entertainers including stilt walkers and face painters entertain the crowds. In Edinburgh the celebrations will focus on Scottish and international music with Ceilidh rock band Ceilidhdonia turning Festival Square into a giant dance floor with their powerful take on Scotland's national dance. A piper and drummer will also add to the musical celebrations. After this the venue will take on a South American feel as a local samba band perform and there will be a chance for people to see the Olympic Torch up close as Edinburgh's Torchbearers make a special appearance before the full broadcast of the ceremony.

Up to 500,000 people per day are expected to celebrate the Games across the Live Sites throughout the UK, and watch the sporting action on the big screens. The sites, run in partnership between London 2012, the BBC and local authorities, and supported by the National Lottery through the Olympic Lottery Distributor, partners BT and Lloyds TSB, and supporters Cadbury and Cisco are fully branded, there will be seating provided so crowds can watch the action in style. For more details visit www.london2012.com/live-sites.

Seb Coe, LOCOG chair, said: ‘Millions of people across the UK are preparing to actively take part in celebrations that will mark the arrival of the world’s greatest athletes to the London 2012 Games. From ringing in the Games with the London 2012 Festival, lining the street on the Olympic Torch Relay's final route, to Danny Boyle's spectacular Opening Ceremony, we are ready as a nation to show that we are ready to welcome the world to London and the UK for the world's greatest sporting event'.

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com

As a service to our readers, Around the Rings will provide verbatim texts of selected press releases issued by Olympic-related organizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.

These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.

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