THE final route for the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay through Dudley has been revealed as the borough prepares to become one of the final stops on its journey around the globe.

Dudley will welcome the Queen’s Baton on Sunday afternoon (July 24) with community events in every corner of the borough.

The Birmingham 2022 organising committee has announced specific times for the baton to pass through key locations, subject to changes on the day.

The celebrations will begin when the baton arrives in Halesowen for the Halesowen Fun Run.

Just before the run kicks off, batonbearers will head off on their relay around the town centre at 1.39pm.

The relay will then head to Stourbridge, where it will pass through Mary Stevens Park at 2.46pm. Halesowen Scout Band will perform live in the bandstand as the baton takes in Queen’s Drive, the lake and the Frank Foley statue.

Wordsley's Red House Glass Cone is hosting a free family event with glassblowing and craft activities for kids from 1pm to 4pm to welcome the baton, which will arrive at 3.29pm.

The journey will then continue to Dudley. Batonbearers will make their way down the streets of the Black Country Living Museum from 4.31pm. The museum is offering free tickets for viewing the baton from 4pm to 5pm.

Dudley Zoo and Castle is the next destination for the batonbearers, who will begin their tour of the zoo at 4.58pm. Lemurs and meerkats will be watching as the relay heads past their enclosures and free tickets are available to join them at the zoo between 4.15pm and 5.30pm.

The council will then hold a civic event to celebrate the arrival of the baton at Coronation Gardens opposite the Council House. The relay will continue into the town, where 100 Brownies and Guides and the Got 2 Sing Choir will welcome the batonbearers.

From there, the relay heads to Brierley Hill. The Queen's baton will arrive in the High Street, then the batonbearers will make their way up Church Hill to the recently restored war memorial for a photo opportunity at 6.15pm.

The final destination of the relay will be The Waterfront at Merry Hill, which is hosting a day of free family activities from 12pm to 8pm. There'll be live entertainment, dancers, jugglers and stilt walkers, a cycling skills track and food from Digbeth Dining Club. The baton is expected to arrive at The Waterfront at 6.45pm.

After a day of community celebrations, the baton will then depart the borough by barge along the famous Dudley No 1 Canal, ready to begin the next stage of its journey to the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on Thursday July 28.

A full list of road closures during the Queen’s Baton Relay is available online at dudley.gov.uk/cgtraffic. 

Councillor Simon Phipps, Dudley Council's cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: "We want to bring the excitement of the Commonwealth Games to everyone in Dudley, so I’m thrilled that the Queen’s Baton Relay will be visiting so many popular attractions and destinations in the borough.

"As one of the final destinations before the Queen’s baton arrives in Birmingham, the buzz will really be building when the relay comes to Dudley. I hope residents will come along to these fantastic events and enjoy our borough’s moment in the spotlight."