QUEEN’S BATON MEETS SAINT HELENA’S OLDEST RESIDENT

The Sports Campus, 6^th February 2010

After an epic journey across the Atlantic ocean on board the RMS St. Helena, the Queen’s Baton 2010 Delhi reached the world’s most isolated island; Saint Helena.

The entire island showed up to greet the Queen’s Baton amongst a lot of cheering and hooting. Governor of Saint Helena, Governor Gurr was the first to receive the Queen’s Baton before it was passed to the school children who had lined the 699 steps, Jacobs Ladder to the top.

The Baton then went on to cheer and bring joy to the older generation when it visited an old age home and was greeted by the oldest resident of Saint Helena, Hilda Clingham aged 99 years and 7 months, who also has the distinction of holding the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Baton. The Baton travelled through the length and breadth of the picturesque island and was carried by the residents and athletes in a highly charged and happy atmosphere.

The historical island, Britain’s second oldest remaining colony has seen the exile of Napoleon Bonaparte, Dinuzulu KaCetshwayo and over 5,000 Boer prisoners.

Saint Helena with a history of over 500 years is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. Britain’s second oldest remaining colony (after Bermuda), Saint Helena is one of the most isolated islands in the world and was for several centuries of vital strategic importance to ships sailing to Europe from Asia and South Africa. Saint Helena measures about 16 by 8 kilometres and has a population of 4,255.

The baton is being carried by legendary RMS St. Helena which is a unique vessel. She is one of the only two ocean-going vessels in the world still to carry the venerable title of Royal Mail Ship, held in the past by so many famous British passenger liners. In addition to carrying passengers in well-fed comfort, she is almost the sole source of supply of all goods for her island namesake. RMS St. Helena is not just a passenger vessel; it’s a working ship, plying the Atlantic Ocean, carrying goods and people nearly halfway around the world.