Olympic torch relay

20 June 2012

Lisa Marshall, one of the BU Torchbearers

BU students to carry Olympic torch as it passes BU on 13 July.

On 13 July 2012 the Olympic torch relay will be heading to Bournemouth and passing BU.

Students from across BU have been recognised for the charity work they do and have been offered the once in a life time opportunity to carry the torch in the relay as it travels through Dorset or in their home towns.

Eva Reichardt, who is currently doing her PhD at BU was nominated by a member of staff after hearing of the charity work she does including rollerblading from Bournemouth to her home town of Heckholzhausen in Germany in 12 days for the Murray foundation, a support service for those affected by limb loss or absence.

Eva’s first charity event was a skydive for Cancer, since then she has walked the length of Hadrian’s Wall without a break, cycled for 12 hours on an exercise bike, a mini triathlon, several 10k runs and takes part in charity rides with her horse.

On finding out she had been nominated Eva said: “When my colleague found out about my charity events she nominated me for torchbearer. To be honest, I never thought I would get in. There are so many fantastic people out there and what I did seems very insignificant in comparison. I feel so lucky.”

Eva is currently planning more charity events including rollerblading the German border, which would take about three months, but is hoping to complete her PhD before this. She plans to continue to take part in smaller charity events in the meantime.

Ben Wicks, a Sports Development and Coaching Sciences student at BU was nominated by his sister for the volunteer work he did in his home town before he came to BU in September 2011.

He will be carrying the torch as the relay travels through his home town of Amesbury, Wiltshire on 11 July.

Ben worked with children and young people with disabilities running two weekly sports sessions. The sessions offered the young people the opportunity to get involved in a range of sports they may not have otherwise participated in.

He ran one of the weekly sessions with the help of Bath Rugby Community Foundation after helping out for a week and enjoying making a difference.

Ben said: “I really can’t wait, it will be a great experience”

Lisa Marshall, a 2nd year Psychology will be carrying the torch on 5 July in Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Lisa’s was nominated to carry the torch by her mum whilst she was recovering from a spinal injury. Her mum stated in her nomination that ‘Lisa gives her time to others through volunteering whilst studying at University, despite having had 3 major surgeries in the last 4 years’.

Lisa has cerebral, and has had hip resurfacing on her on both of her hips. In July 2011 she had an operation to have her spine fused, with rods and screws right from the bottom of her neck to her pelvis.

She was nominated for the Olympic Torch because of her determination to come to university and study with the aim of becoming an educational psychologist. She has also volunteered a lot of her time whilst at University, as a reading buddy in a local school and as a positive role model in a school in her home town, which had a number of special educational needs pupils. At the end of her first year at University Lisa was nominated for, and won the, ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award at BU.

Lisa said “I am currently studying at University to become an educational psychologist in order to help others with disabilities in the future. I believe this is important because while overt discrimination has dramatically decreased, there is still a need for people with disabilities to be present in the community as active citizens in order to decrease people’s misconceptions.”

The Olympic torch relay will be passing Talbot Campus at 5.45pm and Lansdowne Campus at 6pm on Friday 13 July 2012.

Return to News Menu page

News and Events

Olympic torch relay