This summer, the Olympic torch will be carried through more than 1,000 villages, towns and cities by 8,000 people. This month, we meet runners from West Sussex – in June we'll talk to their East Sussex counterparts.
This summer, the Olympic torch will be carried through more than 1,000 villages, towns and cities by 8,000 people. We meet the West Sussex torchbearers.
Rogate, 16 JulyAnnette Sawyer, 53, from Singleton, is a regional retail manager for Save the Children who has visited Ethiopia to spur her fundraising efforts back home. She has six dogs and is a member of Lowland Search and Rescue Dogs, a voluntary group that assists the police when looking for vulnerable, missing people. Annette was nominated as a torchbearer for her voluntary work by her sister, Susan Culpeck.
She says: “When I heard my nomination had been chosen I was over the moon!”
“I love what I do and I feel very lucky but I don’t see it as just me that’s been chosen, it’s all the volunteers for Save the Children and Lowland Search and Rescue, so being a torchbearer is a way of saying thank you to them.”
Lancing, 16 JulyStephen Brooks, 45, from Lewes is a librarian at the University of Brighton. He was nominated as a torchbearer by his wife, Liz, for embracing all of life, work and play (particularly with his three-year-old son, Danny) despite his challenging health problems, including eye cancer which resulted in the loss of an eye earlier this year.
Since being nominated, Stephen has been contacted by a number of charities and organisations working with eye cancer.
South Bersted, 16 JulyChris Lynch, 57, from Angmering, was a police officer for 30 years before joining Sussex Resilience Forum, which works with public and voluntary services across the county to make it a safer place. But Chris’ passion is his voluntary work with Angmering Youth Forum which gives young people in the area something to do.
The Youth Forum’s premises is a converted old London bus, fitted out with tables, chairs and bean bags as well as a Xbox and Wii, which attracts between 20 and 30 young people a night.
Chris, who describes himself as a ‘sports nut’, found out he had been chosen as a torchbearer through a phone call from his bank manager, as his nomination had been sponsored by Lloyds Bank. He said: “It’s the next best thing to taking part in the Games.”
Brighton and Hove, 16 JulyKaren West, 59, from Broadwater, Worthing, is a nursing sister at BMI Goring Hall Hospital where she supports patients who have cancer. Karen was nominated by one of the patients in her care, Anita Newman, 43, who is receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Karen (pictured, left, with Una Palmer, executive director of Goring Hall Hospital), said: “I would like to think that I could run with the torch so I am in training, which includes a trek to Snowdon this month [May].
“The best thing about being part of this fantastic event is being able to carry the torch for all my patients, friends and colleagues at the hospital, as well as for myself and I am looking forward to being with all the other torchbearers on the day and hearing all their stories.”
RogateAnnette Sawyer, 53, ChichesterDom Raeyen, 19, LiphookRoss Harper, 32, Hove
MidhurstAmy Wilton, 17, FarehamGisela Stomberg, 57, LeerIan Richards, 63, WorthingSusan Hubbard, 63, Alton
EasebourneBenjamin Board, 19, Shoreham-by-SeaBrian Wright, 71, Chalfont St. PeterColin Godfrey, 65, BasingstokeGail Whattingham, 65, FarnhamMatthias Laar, 36, KoenigsdorfTillingtonKatie Lambert, 15, BracknellMark Hughes, 32, CranleighSammie Roden, 34, Portsmouth
PetworthEmma Johnston-Jones, 35, BillingshurstGerald Gresham Cooke, 70, PetworthJuliet Starbuck, 43, SteyningLiene Ernstsone-Tava, 33, OffenbachMartin Vogt, 42, M�nchenSara Tremlett, 63, Slinfold
DunctonBen Stoggles, 23, PulboroughDirk Rombach, 40, FrankfurtPaul Zetter, 88, Wisborough GreenRyan Hodd Jarvis, 15, Petworth
ChichesterAaron Holford-Grant, 25, EmsworthAlexa Zaddach, 36, OberurselAnt Stewart, 47, ChichesterGideon Meade, 53, BrightonKatie Mindo, 25, TottonMartina Wolf, 47, HofheimMary Pearce, 64, PirbrightRyan Smith, 26, BasingstokeStefanie Ransley, 36, LancingSteph Blondell, 18, LittlehamptonTracy King, 38, HoveVicky Scott, 32, FarehamNorth BerstedAndreas Wienecke, 56, RodheimFreddie Barr, 79, Walton On ThamesMichael Scott, 49, RustingtonSue Blunden, 61, Haywards HeathSue Bradford, 45, Horsham
South BerstedChris Lynch, 57, LittlehamptonRyustem Kobalov, 32
Bognor RegisAlistair Harvey, 45, BrightonDavid Sheppard, 30, WorthingDirk Sch�fer, 46, SchwalbachGabby Broadhurst, 44, Bognor RegisKirsty Whiley, 20, BrightonKlaus Schumann, 43, CologneMatt Cooper, 11, SouthamptonMichael Bevis-Lacey, 16, EastleighQuantae Ramdin, 15, SouthamptonRuby Baverstock, 20, CrawleySarah Tomsett, 50, WokinghamSophie Hind, 15, Littlehampton
WoodgateJens Boecking, 29, FrankfurtKevin Byrne, 48, Bognor RegisWestergateGerlinde Didea, 31, MainzMike Scholes, 58, LindfieldSam Kirwan, 21, Burgess Hill
ArundelIvy Robin, 14, BrightonJason Saw, 42, East SussexMax Harffey, 18, EastbourneMurat Yatkin, 35, Ludwigsburg
WorthingAnton Kalafus, 53, SomptingChris Cannon, 49, WorthingCyril Mor�, 39, Rueil-malmaisonDan Robinson, 18, St Leonards On SeaDarren Crispin, 50, SouthamptonKonstantinos Filis, 34, AthensLebon Patrick, 54, OrvaultMaria Magno, 68, CrawleyNigel Wrapson, 44, HoveRupert Mitchell, 35, Bexhill-on-SeaSally Ricketts, 56, AmershamSteviee Ackerman, 20, LancingTom Kimber, 27, BrightonTony Smith, 58, Horsham
LancingStephen Brooks, 45, LewesAlex Fraser, 18, Haywards HeathCharles White, 15, HastingsClare Forbes, 28, Crawley
