The Queen's Baton Relay is coming to Leek this week!

Its first stop in Staffordshire will be Keele University on Monday. Grom there it will go on to Newcastle, Kidsgrove and Stoke-on-Trent.

On Tuesday, its first stop in the county will be Stafford, followed by Stone then Rudyard and Leek.

On Wednesday it will begin the day in Uttoxeter before making its way to Burton, then Lichfield, Burntwood, Chasewater and finally Tamworth.

It means people in Staffordshire have one of the best chances in the country of seeing the relay.

Details of the baton's journey are as follows…

Monday 18th July

The baton will arrive at Keele University at around 10.30am, where a series of outdoor activities has been organised with local schools.

From there it will travel to Belong specialist care village in Newcastle town centre at around 11.15am.

Here, there will be a programme of entertainment taking place – including dance performances with children from Blackfriars Academy and St Mary's Catholic Primary School.

Events in Kidsgrove will start shortly after midday.

The baton will be carried for a short distance on a narrowboat along the canal, and this will be followed by a themed programme of activities with local schools and members of the community.

Residents who want to attend this free event are being advised to arrive at about 11.30am.

The baton will next head to Newchapel Pump Track just after 12.30pm, where children from local schools will take part in organised activities.

The relay is set to arrive at the World of Wedgwood in Stoke at 1.30pm for a private tour of the V&A collection and the Anti-Slavery Medallion exhibit.

It will then make its way to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, where it will take a tour of the Spitfire Gallery at around 2.30pm.

The air cadets and a wartime singer will perform outside the museum as the baton ventures through the exhibition, before embarking on a hand relay through the streets of Hanley; starting outside the museum at around 2.45pm and finishing in Hanley Park, ready for an afternoon of celebrations.

The roads the baton will pass through are:

• Bethesda Street
• Potteries Way
• Lower Bethesda Street
• Regent Road
• Cleveland Road
• College Road

It will enter Hanley Park just off Cleveland Road at around 3.15pm, which will be its final stop in Stoke-on-Trent.

There will be a variety of activities taking place in the park from 12.30pm.

School children will be taking part in traditional sports day activities as well as playing sports on the courts (including football, cricket and basketball) and there will be a colour run as the baton enters the park.

There will also be performances from B Arts, Art Brasil and Steel for Stoke Band.

The baton will leave the park via an RAF helicopter just after 3.30pm, but the activities will continue until 6.30pm.

The event is free and open to the public.

Tuesday 19th July

The relay will return to the county on Tuesday, and is expected to leave Stafford Castle at around 2pm before travelling along Newport Road to arrive approximately 25 minutes later in Victoria Park.

It will leave the park just after 2.40pm and be taken by vehicle to Stone.

The baton will arrive at Stone Leisure Centre shortly after 3pm and then be carried through the town and back up the high street before returning to the canoe club.

One of the highlights of the relay will be the baton spending time on the water as part of a slalom at the canoe club in Stone shortly after 3.30pm.

From there, the relay is set to arrive at Rudyard Lake at around 5pm, where a flotilla of boats from will accompany the baton bearer across the water.

Children from Horton St Michael's Primary School will perform a song from the Jungle Book in honour of the Lake's namesake, Rudyard Kipling.

There will be a free park and ride bus service from Sainsbury's in Leek. The bus will run from the top of Sainsbury's car park to the Rudyard Hotel at: 4pm, 4.20pm and 4.40pm.

After the event, buses will return to the Sainsbury's car park at 6.15pm, 6.35pm and 6.50pm.

The relay itself will move on to Leek town centre after Rudyard, and is expected to arrive at around 6.30pm.

It will start on Stanley Street, run down Derby Street, turn left onto Bath Street, then onto Stockwell Street and finish for a celebration in Market Place.

The following roads will be closed 4-7pm: Stanley Street, Sheep Market, Russell Street, Derby Street (including access via Sparrow Park) and Bath Street.

Due to the road closures Ford Street, Market Street, York Street and Deansgate will effectively be blocked. There will also be parking bay suspensions on Derby Street and Bath Street.

In addition, the A523 will be closed from approximately 6.15pm until 7pm, with a traffic diversion in place.

The final stop on Tuesday is at Alton Towers where the baton will take the ride of its life on a rollercoaster – with a high vantage point to capture an iconic shot of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Wednesday 20th July

During its time in East Staffordshire, the Queen's Baton Relay will visit Uttoxeter Leisure Centre, Bramshall Park and St George's Park.

The schedule of activity includes:

• 8am: arrival at Uttoxeter Leisure Centre.

• 8.10am: the relay will pass through Bramshall Park in Uttoxeter, where the public can attend to see the baton make its journey through.

• 9am, an event will take place at St George's Park throughout the morning, including a school's football celebration, with the Queen's Baton Relay then continuing its route around the facility, including a stop at the Arthur Wharton statue (although this event is not open to the public).

The council is warning that Bramshall Park car park will not be open, and people are instead asked to use:

– Fair Field Road Car Park (ST14 7JY),

– The Maltings (Silver Street, ST14 7QE)

– Oldfields Hall Middle School Car Park (105 Stone Road, ST14 7PL).

– Uttoxeter Leisure Centre (Oldfields Road, Uttoxeter, ST14 7QL).

Parking at Uttoxeter Leisure Centre will be limited, so visitors are advised to use the other car parks listed.

The relay will then move on, and into Lichfield district.

From 11am until 1pm, there will be celebrations in Beacon Park in Lichfield.

These will feature taster sessions in soft archery, PANNA (1v1 football), soft javelin, tennis, mini hurdles, new age bowls and spikeball.

The baton is expected to arrive at around midday.

Following this, Perry the Commonwealth Games official mascot will be at the Chasewater Country Park celebration, which takes place from 1pm until 3.30pm.

The baton is expected here at around 2pm and there will be taster sessions in soft archery, boccia, spikeball, soft javelin, badminton, netball, and pickleball.

Both events in Lichfield district are open to all ages – but children must be accompanied by an adult. There is no need to register for either event.

From there the relay continues to Tamworth.

During its time in Tamworth, it will visit the Sacred Heart Church, The Rawlett School and Tamworth Castle Grounds.

Starting around 3.30pm, activities will include mini community games at the Sacred Heart Church, a celebratory display by pupils at The Rawlett School and a Singing for Fun performance with Tamworth Community Together CIC in the Castle Grounds.

This will be followed by a free evening of entertainment in the grounds – including stage demonstrations, community games, sports performances, singers and tribute acts.

Members of the public are encouraged to get involved and to experience the buzz of Birmingham 2022 in their community.