Lord Coes Special Thanks to a Black Country Volunteer

Paige Harris will receive a very special thank you by Lord Coe at the official opening of the Copper Box, at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday July 27.

The 19 year old from Walsall was awarded the title of Black Country’s Shining Light as part of the Community Games Relay.

The Community Games Relay is retracing the steps the Olympic Torch took in England last year. It started in Land’s End on May 19 and is shining a spotlight on 70 areas that last year’s Olympic Torch visited in the country.  Each day a volunteer who is a ‘Shining Light’ in their community is being acknowledged for the hard work they are doing.

All 70 shining lights will come together in their jerseys to receive a thank you from Lord Coe at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on day 70 of the Relay.

On the day Lord Coe will pay homage to Paige and thank her for the role she has played in personally helping others to get involved in sport and cultural activities through Community Games.

Simon Hall, Director of the Black Country BeActive Partnership said:

"I am absolutely delighted that Paige has been invited to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on day 70 to receive a special thank you by Lord Coe. Paige has been working tirelessly to ensure people in the Black Country are able to take part in sport and cultural activities through the Community Games programme.

Lee Mason, Chief Executive, from the CSPN said: 

 "The Community Games programme brought thousands of communities together during the Olympic year, supported by a dedicated group of volunteers. It is fantastic to see the work of these volunteers being celebrated and acknowledged. It is only fitting that Lord Coe who himself, helped to light up the nation, thanks those who similarly light up their communities.  I am very encouraged that there has been an appetite across the country to come together to celebrate the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2013.  We already have more than 1,000 Community Games registered to take place this summer in communities all over the country.”

Visit our Community Games page for further information on the programme