Carolynn’s Council colleagues cheer her on.

 Olympic torchbearer Carolynn Clarke, a member of the Council’s leisure services team, this week got an Olympic send-off from her Council colleagues. In her spare time Carolynn is the founder member of the Valley Wildcats Cheerleading Club and was nominated as an Olympic Torchbearer for the key role she has in the club.  Carolynn with her bubbly personality is known to the children in the club as “Momma Wildcat” and is currently trying to set up the Northern Ireland Cheer Sport Association.

 Carolynn is carrying the Olympic torch in Newtownabbey on 3 June and was delighted this week to find out she will carrying the torch on the O’Neill Road part of the journey.Speaking about the Olympic Torch Relay Carolynn commented:

“I can’t wait until the 3 June. I was totally over the moon when I found out I had been nominated as a torchbearer and I still can’t quite believe it’s all happening. The children that go the Valley Wildcats Cheerleading Club are planning to come out to cheer me on and I hope lots of my work colleagues will too. It is fantastic seeing the relay coverage on TV. People really seem to have caught the Olympic spirit and I’m sure the people of Newtownabbey will turn out in force to be part of the Olympic experience.”

On 3 June the route will be along the O’Neill Road, Station Road and onto the Shore Road before going on to neighbouring Carrickfergus. Timings are as follows:

• 10.08am O’Neill Road, Prince Charles Roundabout
• 10.22am Station Road, turning left onto Shore Road
• 10.31am Shore Road, travelling North to Carrickfergus
• 10.54am Passes into Carrickfergus at Belfast High School

Free car parking is available and a shuttle bus will operate on the day along a route from the Valley Leisure Centre to Loughshore Park where the ‘Big Party’ will take place.

Carparking avialable at

• The Valley Leisure Centre
• The Valley Park
• Northern Regional College
• Hazelbank Park
• Valley Retail Park (Harvey Norman)
• Northgate
• University of Ulster

Following the Torch Relay everyone can join in the ‘Big Party’ at Jordanstown Loughshore Park with great family entertainment to celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay and the Queen’s Jubilee. Find out more about how you can get involved in this once in a lifetime event. Follow on facebook.com/olympictorchnewtownabbey or check out www.newtownabbey/olympictorch or follow twitter.com/NewtownabbeyBC