Commonwealth Games 2022 is set to take place in Birmingham from 28th July, and has kicked up a bit of storm even before its start. The preferred route for the Commonwealth Games baton relay has sparked outrage in a village named Coseley.
Coseley’s inhabitants feel they have been snubbed by the Commonwealth Games baton relay as the baton is expected to travel through Dudley but would not go near Coseley. Residents believe that the area has been left behind with this event coming as the latest blow for them after the closing of the swimming pool, secondary school and the loss of a tip.
Seeing this continued neglect from the government, the villagers have vowed to pool together and hold a game of their own. Named the Coseley Commonwealth Games, the village has announced to hold a multi-sport event at the village cricket club.
An activist from Coseley Tony Sheldon said, “The Commonwealth baton will be circulating the borough and, as expected, it’s coming nowhere near to Coseley. Because of this, we intended to have our own Coseley Commonwealth Games on the same day.”
Coseley Games would be a force of good: Organiser
Residents believe that the organisers have also snubbed the village of the cycling event which will go through nearby villages but not Coseley. Reverend Emma Stanford, who is an organiser of the Coseley Commonwealth Games said, “We are in a sort of forgotten void here in Coseley.”
“The cycling during the Commonwealth Games is going through Sedgley nearby, so there is nothing coming down the hill towards us this way. With everything else, it is also another thing that residents feel neglected over”, added Stanford. She said that the Games will be a force of good and bring the people of the village together by providing them with entertainment.
“It is just about getting everybody together as a community, doing something good to celebrate. It is a community effort involving the church, volunteers of the church, along with Tony, the guides, brownies and rainbows, they are helping out, and Coseley Big Local is helping us as well”, explained Rev Stanford.
The Coseley Commonwealth Games will begin at 2:15 PM with its own baton parade. Games like a three-legged race, welly wanging, relay race, egg and spoon race, sack race and other such events will be on offer.
