As jubilant crowds lined the streets of Canterbury to welcome the Olympic Torch Relay behind the scenes were dedicated teams of people whose commitment to the event ensured that a fun, safe day was had by all.
The recent Olympic Torch Relay posed a major challenge for those organisations and agencies involved in its management as it toured through Canterbury. The scale of the operations needed to make it happen required months of careful preparation and required an enormous amount of coordinated planning.
The strong partnerships that have been forged within the district created an efficient and effective multi-agency approach that provided a firm foundation on which the success of this event could be guaranteed. Meticulous planning included: Event Safety Management Plans, Risk Assessments, Communication and Traffic Management Plans, an Emergency Plan and a number of briefings. This, combined with an attention to detail, ensured that every eventually was covered to protect life and property, safeguard the environment and provide public reassurance.
Canterbury City Council implemented an Olympic Torch Relay Safety Advisory Group, which was chaired by the Community Safety Unit and brought together colleagues from Events, Communications, Transportation and Parking, in collaboration with key partners that included: the Kent Fire and Rescue Service, South East Coastal Ambulance Services, Red Cross, Stagecoach, Kent Police, National Health Service, Kent Highways Services, South Eastern Trains, Kent County Council, East Kent Human Resources Partnership and a host of volunteers who assisted with route marshalling.
Engaging with local communities, businesses, schools and contractors demonstrated that everyone had a part to play in contributing to the event’s success – and what a success it was!
Thanks to everyone for making the event an iconic memory for the citizens of the Canterbury district.
