Following the Olympic flame passing through Bradford, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) has come forward with yet another way that local residents can get involved with the Olympics. 

Bradford has been specially chosen by the Society to be one of the select number of walks on the "walk the world" website developed as part of the national cultural Olympiad. 

The walk around Bradford explores how the city has changed from a small provincial town 200 years ago to one of northern England's most multicultural cities. Discover how the change happened thanks to wool, sand stone and soft water and look at how the city was built and prospered through its links to the wider world. Street names, buildings, monuments and people provide clues to these connections with Olympic nations which include India, Denmark, Macedonia and China.

Local residents can try out the walk by visiting www.walktheworld.org.uk for details, and the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is calling on city residents to put forward suggestions of links they know of themselves.

RGS-IBG Director, Dr Rita Gardner, says: 

"Bradford has a wealth of international links in its geography and history and with Olympic fervour at its peak what better time to explore and discover the unexpected on your own doorstep.

"We hope that local residents will find this another exciting way that they can get involved with the Olympics and look forward to reading what suggestions they put forward for links in the region with other Olympic nations."

ENDS  

Notes to editors
 
1. The walk through Bradford - ‘Progress, Industry and Humanity' - is a self-guided walk that starts at Bradford City Hall, Centenary Square and ends at Memorial Garden Centenary Square. It's just 2 1/2 miles long (a1 mile extension optional) and is suitable for all ages and abilities. It's free to download athttp://www.walktheworld.org.uk/walk/regions/yorkshire-and-the-humber/bradford.html  where you'll find a map and audio commentary to accompany you on your journey.

2. For further information and photos, please contact Alex Jackson, Media and Communications Officer on 020 7591 3019 or email press@rgs.org

3. Walk the World (www.walktheworld.org.uk) is part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad's Discovering Places campaign - inspiring people in the UK to discover their local built historic and natural environments. The project is delivered by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in partnership with Discovering Places and the Heritage Alliance. The project is funded principally by the National Lottery through the Olympic Lottery Distributor.

4. The Royal Geographical Society (with The Institute of British Geographers) is the learned society and professional body for geography - the subject that helps us understand people, places and environments. We would like everyone to have a better understanding of our complex and changing world. Formed in 1830, the Society exists to advance geography. Today, the Society does this by supporting and promoting geography in school, at university, in fieldwork and expeditions, and by enthusing and engaging public audiences through talks, discussions, exhibitions and online. The Society's large geographical collection of maps, images and manuscripts is also open to the public. www.rgs.org