South Staffordshire College celebrates the arrival of the Torch

To celebrate the arrival of the Olympic Torch in Lichfield, South Staffordshire College has been working with Lichfield District Council on a project to relate visual arts to the Olympic Games.

Art students from the College’s Lichfield Campus created wooden exhibits depicting a number of Olympic and Paralympic disciplines including swimming, cycling, hockey, weightlifting and running.

The five pieces of artwork were installed in the water of Minster Pool in preparation for the Olympic Torch Relay passing through Lichfield City on Saturday 30 June 2012.

In a further collaboration between the College and Lichfield District Council, visitors were invited to make mini floating origami flames in a workshop in Beacon Park’s Museum Gardens.

The origami made on the day was added to the flames that had been created at a series of workshops held across the district involving local schools, colleges and community groups.   Around 5,000 of the handmade flames were floated on Minster Pool in the evening of 30 June as part of a candlelit display.

Trudie McGuinness, Director of Learner Experience, said South Staffordshire College was delighted to be involved in welcoming the Olympic Torch to Lichfield.  “As a recognised Healthy College we are committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of our students and staff through engagement in sport and community events, which the Olympic Torch represents. 

The project on Minster Pool was showcased beautifully with the setting sail of hundreds of floating flames as the sun set. The flames were created by learners and staff right across South Staffordshire College, local schools, community groups and visitors to Lichfield on Torch Relay day showing just how the Olympics can inspire, bring people together and create something truly special. It was a perfect end to the celebrations to see Lara and Maia returning later on in the day to see their flames afloat.”

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