Hilary and Josie’s Olympic journey
Two Amble women have been selected to be official Olympic torchbearers when the flame travels through the North East. But, although the torch will be coming through Amble, neither of the women will actually carry the torch through our town.
Hilary Brooker-Carey (pictured right) and Josie Goodfellow (below right) were selected to carry the Olympic flame as part of the official relay race, but Hilary has been chosen to run in Whitley Bay while Josie will carry the flame in Berwick.
The torch will be carried through Amble at approximately 8.16am on Friday 15 June.
A runner will carry the Olympic flame along the A1068 from the Gateway sculpture (pictured), up the Wynd, past The Wellwood and along Albert Street, past the Blue Bell and along to Lindisfarne Road.
Hilary, who works part-time for Coquet Shorebase Trust, was nominated to run by the RSPB, a responsibility she holds with evident pride. “I’ve been a volunteer with the RSPB for 20 years, doing various things from habitat management to monitoring” she told The Ambler. “Natural history is my life; it’s part of my soul. I’m just proud to represent the RSPB.”
Josie is a part-time teaching assistant at Amble Links First School. She was nominated by her daughter Shelley. “I’m over the moon” she told The Ambler, “I always imagined I’d do something for the Olympics! This is a way of taking part” Josie is a coach with the Morpeth Harriers and Amble Netball club.
route of the torch relay through Amble
Hilary, however, is less athletic. “I did my first 10k run last year, but I’m not a natural runner,” she laughs “I do my training when no-one can see me!”
Is this a joke? Amble people NOT carrying the torch through their own town?
Who has organised this debacle?