Claire gears up for Olympic torch coverage

The Bellaghy woman will host a one-and-a-half-hour broadcast celebrating the arrival of the Olympic torch relay to the town. Two local TV production companies Anderson Videos and NEELB TV are joining forces to provide a full Outside Broadcast of events on June 6 and 7.

Claire said: “The countdown to the Games has now officially begun with the lighting of the Olympic torch last week in Greece. It will come to England on May 19 to tour the UK for 70 days including a visit to Magherafelt. Everyone in the area seems hugely excited as is the production team.

“It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the people of the Magherafelt district to see the torch and commemorate the Games coming to London.”

As crowds descend on the town to welcome the world-famous torch on the morning of June 7, camera crews will be around the town recording the atmosphere in the build-up to the torch’s arrival at 13.31.

From a dedicated studio and green room at First Magherafelt Presbyterian Church, Claire will be linked up to activities around the town. 3000 children from 31 local schools will perform visual displays at Meadowbank and weather permitting, will form an Olympic message with the five Olympic rings which will be filmed live from a helicopter.

Claire will also be joined by a panel of distinguished guests from the district to discuss the happenings as they occur and what the event means to the town.

The torch arrival will be recorded as inspirational Olympic torchbearers carry the torch through the town from the Ballyronan Road, to the centre roundabout, down Broad Street and on to the Castledawson Road.

Claire’s involvement with Magherafelt’s Olympic relay event will further endorse the area as a birthplace of incredible talent, which is the message the council want to project. On June 6, a community carnival will celebrate Magherafelt as a place of excellence in dance, music and sport. Publically nominated local sporting gods and goddesses will head up the parade, alongside a specially commissioned chariot.

Having worked on some of the world’s most prestigious sporting events and being from the Magherafelt District, Claire was the obvious choice for the role.

She said “Living in London, I’m so excited to be doing something so close to home. I love sports and come from a family of sporting enthusiasts and having the Olympic torch come to Magherafelt is a real coup. There is already a sense of anticipation of the torch’s arrival and Magherafelt District Council is putting together a great line-up of events which will ensure the occasion will be talked about for years to come.”

The events will be streamed via the internet from 12.30pm to 2pm on June 7 at www.magherafelt.gov.uk and watched via large screens in Magherafelt, L’Derry and Belfast. Viewers from around the world are expected to tune in to watch celebrations as they unfold.

For further information contact Michael Browne, Davina McCartney or Charmain Bell at Magherafelt District Council 028 7939 7979 or email [email protected]