Olympic Torch comes to Red House

Pupils at the Nursery & Infant School were delighted to welcome a very special guest to school, in advance of the much anticipated 2012 London Olympics. Mr Guy Taylor, National Manager of The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS), a Government funded programme to support and fast-track young potential medal winners of the future, was invited to talk to pupils during a special morning assembly. Mr Taylor, who brought into school the actual torch to be used in the London 2012 Olympics, gave a very entertaining and informative account of the use of Olympic torches throughout the history of the games.

Having the actual Olympic torch in school, which is interpreted as a global symbol of the Olympic games, was a great inspiration to the children. The torch commemorates the theft of fire from the Greek god Zeus by Prometheus, its origins lying in ancient Greece, where a fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics.  It was not until the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam that the fire was reintroduced. 

Having been a major ceremonial player in the Olympic games ever since, it was wonderful to see it arrive at the Nursery & Infant School during assembly. In addition to the torch, Mr Taylor also unveiled a selection of colourful Fuwa mascots from the Beijing Summer 2008 Olympic games. Pupils had the opportunity to hold it and pose for photographs with the torch and mascots.