The Queen's Baton Relay has travelled through 70 nations and territories, over 190,000 km for almost 288 days. In Scotland alone, 4000 baton bearers have joined the relay taking the baton through more than 400 communities. With the relay nearing an end, and less than a week to go until the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, ESMS are proud of the members of our school community who have played a part in bringing the baton to the Games.
Our very own Fiona Grant-MacDonald, Physics technician and charity volunteer, was selected to be a baton bearer for the Commonwealth Games after being nominated by two separate charities for which she does exceptional work. Fiona works with, and sings regularly for, a group called Headway which provides support and services for people who have survived and live with brain injuries. In addition, she is part of the Clark Community Choir, a local group which performs for nursing homes and other community organisations and at fundraisers.
Stewart's Melville College boy, Chris Morris (last year S2), was part of the Queen's Commonwealth Games Baton Relay on the morning of Monday 16 June, at Midlothian Snowsports Centre. Chris is proud to have been asked to accompany his friend Michael, a visually impaired skier for whom he normally acts as a guide, as he followed the baton bearer down the slopes. Chris met Michael in January when he volunteered as a guide with the Visually Impaired Ski Club. He was paired up with Michael because they share an interest in racing and both attend the LSRA race club. Michael is hoping to be put forward for Disability Classification which will allow him to compete internationally.
SMC Sixth former (last year S5) Alastair Greig was a baton bearer on the first day of the baton travelling round Scotland on the way to its final destination in Glasgow. Ali and Mary Erskine School girls Iona Armour and Zainab Hayat each carried the baton for a 200m stretch on Saturday 14 June.
For the past two years, MES sixth former (last year S5) Zainab Hayat has volunteered with the Women's Royal Voluntary Service at Astley Ainslie Hospital for the elderly. It is through her work with this organisation that she came to be nominated as a baton bearer in the run up to the Commonwealth Games. Zainab also volunteers at the Western General Hospital where she works with the elderly and helps to feed the infirm. She is currently working to becoming a volunteer ambassador for Volunteer Scotland, where she hopes to encourage others to take up volunteering.
Recent MES graduate Iona Armour was nominated by the school for baton bearer because she performed exceptionally well as School Games Captain, and also because she has been an inspiration to younger pupils of all levels of ability in a wide range of sports. She has been an excellent role model who has valued and demonstrated the school's sport ethos of participation, respect, pride, enjoyment, determination and achievement. Iona has also competed at district and national level in various sports. Watch our interview with Iona, where she tells us what it means to her to have been selected to take part.
ESMS is proud to have had so many members of the school community selected to take part in the extraordinary global journey of the baton on its way to the games in Glasgow. We can't wait for the Games to begin!
