Special Olympics torch relay coming to Whanganui

Police and Special Olympics athletes will take part in a torch run in Whanganui on Wednesday.

The Special Olympics Flame of Hope will be in Whanganui on Wednesday, November 8.

Whanganui police and some of the region's top Special Olympics athletes will take part in the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) in the lead-up to the Special Olympics National Summer Games 2017 to be held in Wellington on November 27-December 1. Special Olympics Wanganui is sending eight athletes to the Games.

Itis part of a series of relays and fundraising events around New Zealand to raise awareness and money for Special Olympics. Torches are being relayed from each end of New Zealand to Wellington.

The Whanganui leg of the relay begins at noon on Wednesday at the Bell St police station. Local police and Special Olympics athletes, accompanied by families, friends and supporters will carry the Flame of Hope to Victoria Ave and then to the Whanganui District Council building in Guyton St where Mayor Hamish McDouall will meet the group around 12.45pm.

"The LETR is one of the highlights of major Special Olympics events and this year we are excited that the torches will travel to all regions and clubs taking part in the National Summer Games," Special Olympics New Zealand chief executive Kathy Gibson said.

In addition to raising awareness of Special Olympics in New Zealand, italso helps to promote and support Special Olympics' athlete leadership programme which aims to provide athletes with the tools and experiences to become leaders in their own right and to speak for themselves.

Director of LETR New Zealand Inspector Mark Harrison, of Palmerston North, said the flame "represents so much of what policing is about - it stands for hope, courage, opportunity, inspiration and equality".

The Special Olympics New Zealand National Summer Games are held every four years. It is the largest event for athletes with intellectual disabilities in New Zealand.