Here's where you can see the Queen's Commonwealth Games baton on its visit to Sunderland

The Birmingham 2022 Queen's Baton Relay reaches the city on Thursday, July 14, as part of a 29-day tour of England ahead of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on July 28.

It will already have made its way through 68 Commonwealth countries over 294 days.

The Baton, which contains Her Majesty The Queen's message to the Commonwealth, will be carried along Sunderland’s spectacular seafront by a succession of inspirational Batonbearers, each nominated by their communities, before taking pride of place at a free celebration event in Cliffe Park.

The Active Sunderland Summer Family Fun session, which is on from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, will feature a host of free fun activities.City council leader Coun Graeme Miller said: "We're tremendously excited about the Queen's Baton Relay coming to Sunderland. I hope everyone will turn out to give the Batonbearers a really warm Sunderland welcome as they carry the Baton along our beautiful seafront.

"Each of the Batonbearers has been chosen because of their own inspirational story and background, and the contribution they have made to their local community and for being an inspiration to others.

"So this is a brilliant opportunity to recognise and thank them for everything they have done and continue to do."I'd encourage everyone to come to cheer the Batonbearers on and then enjoy all the activities on offer at the fabulous free celebration event at Cliffe Park."

Melanie Nichols is one of the Batonbearers chosen to carry the Baton through Sunderland. She was described as a 'super star', who 'kept us all going during the lockdowns with food and activity packs and runs sessions gour times a week for carers and their kids' .

As well as bringing up her four grandchildren from being tiny, Melanie also managed to find the time to set up and run a support group for other kinship carers and more recently has set up a charity ‘More than Grandparents’ which supports around 300 kinship carers and their families.

“I was really ecstatic when I heard I’d been chosen to be a Batonbearer but really humbled too,” she said.

"It means all the more to me because it was my kinship carers who nominated me and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The Baton will begin its journey through Sunderland at 6.12pm, setting off from the University of Sunderland's Reg Vardy Centre before skirting around the historic 1300-year-old St Peter's Church in Monkwearmouth, part of the Anglo-Saxon Wearmouth-Jarrow Monastery.

It will then pass the National Glass Centre before heading along the seafront with its award winning blue flag beaches to Cliffe Park where it is due to arrive at 6.45 pm and will remain until 7.15pm.As well as lots of fun activities to join in with, time allowing, the celebration event will also include the opportunity for people to have their photo taken with the Baton.A number of road closures will be in place along the route between 5.30pm and 7pm. For further information visit: https://one.network/For the latest on the Queen's Baton Relay coming to Sunderland, visit: Birmingham 2022 Queen's Baton Relay - MySunderland