Olympic memories for winning Wokingham pupils

Pupils from the Robert Piggott CE Infant & Robert Piggott CE Junior Schools will be some of the first to see the Olympic Torch when it arrives in the Wokingham Borough on Tuesday July 10.

The children won a borough-wide colouring competition to bag prime positions standing on the bank of the River Thames to watch the torch make a short journey along the river before disembarking at the Leander Club, where it will continue its journey.

Some 60 Key Stage 1 and 2 children and ten staff from the schools will view the torch’s progress along the Thames from the grounds of Thamesfield Nursing Home.

A total of 120 children will be on the bank, waving flags and cheering, joining those from Piggott’s. The rest will come from Addington School, Foundry College, Wokingham secondary schools as well as a number of looked-after children.

All youngsters aged 5 to 11 years across the borough were invited to take part in the Wokingham Borough Council’s competition to draw an Olympic Torch of their own.

The Robert Piggott CE Infant entry is more than seven feet tall.

Cllr Angus Ross, executive member for environment, said: “There are so many Olympic initiatives and schemes inspiring youngsters, but we wanted to do something specifically for younger children using art.

“The aim of the competition was to help these young children feel part of the Olympic dream.”

“And standing on the bank of the Thames, watching the torch go by, they’ll have wonderful memories they can tell their own grandchildren one day.”

Sally Ann Akers, executive headteacher at Robert Piggott CE Infant and Junior Schools, said: “We are delighted to learn that we have been chosen as the Key Stage 1 and 2 winners of the Olympic Torch Competition.   

“The children are very excited about seeing the torch and witnessing this as part of the Olympic Games.”

At approx 6pm the torch, in convoy mode, will travel through the borough along the A329 towards the Sutton Seeds roundabout before entering Reading.