See The Olympic Torch In Wimbledon
Tennis legends will carry the flame in Merton
Organisers have revealed more details of the Olympic Torch through Wimbledon on its route to the London 2012 games on Monday July 23.
The flame will pass through every London borough from July 20 to July 27 and is expected to reach Merton at around 3.25pm on July 23.
It will then have come from Sutton and will pass into the borough boundary at the Rosehill roundabout in Morden.
TV presenter and former tennis professional Sue Barker (left) will carry the flame into the Tooting and Mitcham Community Sports Club (The Hub) at 3.34pm.
It will reach the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Church Road at 5.13pm, and tennis superstar Andy Murray has already confirmed he will be carrying the torch somewhere in Wimbledon.
The exact route and estimated timings in Merton are as follows:
15:21 Bishopsford Road A217
15:33 London Road A217
15:34 The Hub Sports Centre
16:00 London Road A217
16:08 Lower Green West A217
16:11 London Road A217
16:14 Raleigh Gardens A217
16:15 Western Road A236
16:26 Church Road A236
16:27 Christchurch Road A236
16:29 Christchurch Road A24
16:31 Priory Road A24
16:32 Merton High Street A238
16:37 Haydon's Road A218
16:49 Gap Road B235
16:56 Leopold Road
17:01 Arthur Road
17:07 St Mary's Road
17:07 Church Road
17:10 Somerset Road
17:10 Wimbledon Court Pathway
17:13 All England Lawn Tennis front doors
17:19 Promenade Steps
17:21 Henman Hill Steps
17:27 The Championship Wimbledon Garden Sign
17:27 Wimbledon pathway
17:29 Church Road.
Drivers have been advised to use alternative routes to avoid the Torch Relay, especially through Mitcham, Colliers Wood, South Wimbledon and Wimbledon Village.
One of the torch bearers in Sutton will be Dean Parsons, AKA Haydon the Womble (left), the mascot of AFC Wimbledon. But he has been told he can't run in his mascot costume, and must use the official torch bearer's outfit.
As the torch passes through the different areas of Merton, there will be outdoor picnic parties taking place at four locations: Mitcham Fair Green, Merton Abbey Mills, South Park Gardens and Ricards Lodge School.
Everyone is invited to come along, bring a picnic and join in the fun. Local community groups will be entertaining the arrival of the torch along the route and will then be joining the picnic and party areas to entertain local people.
Leader of Merton Council Councillor Stephen Alambritis said: "We are encouraging everyone to turn out and welcome the Olympic Torch to Merton. It is going to be a fantastic day and an historic event. We also want everyone to stay safe by keeping on the pavements as traffic will still be flowing. There will be plenty of room along the six-mile route for everyone to be able to see the torch on its way."
Once the flame reaches Wandsworth, there will be an "evening celebration" on Tooting Bec Common. However the free tickets are only available to Wandsworth borough residents.
Thirty torch bearers will carry the flame through Merton, although 13 of them are from London, some are from elsewhere in the UK, two are from America and one is from Rio de Janiero. They were all nominated for inspiring people in their community.
They include teacher Bernie Tetchner (left), a
62-year-old teacher in inner London primary schools for more than 30 years. She has been teacher for special needs and works in a Centre for Autism in Stockwell.
Whilst helping many people in their struggle with special needs she has been no stranger to struggles herself. In 2009 her eldest daughter's fiancé tragically died in a car accident and she has helped in her daughter's charity work for the road safety charity 'Break' raising thousands of pounds. Last November her husband and father to her three children died, and she has a pillar of strength for them.
By the time it reaches the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony, the flame will have travelled through 1,019 communities and come within 10 miles of 95% of the UK population on its 8,000 mile route.
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July 16, 2012