A NORTH Yorkshire Police volunteer will be one of the 8,000 torch bearers to carry the Olympic Flame as it travels across the UK.

Richard Baldwin, of York, who is head of volunteering for the force, is one of 23 torch bearers who will carry the torch through his home city tomorrow.

Richard, who was nominated by his grandchildren, was delighted to have been chosen.

He said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am honoured to have been chosen to carry the Olympic flame through the city.

“York is a fantastic city and I am very proud to represent it on the world’s stage.”

Richard has been a volunteer for North Yorkshire Police for five years and now has the role of co-ordinating all volunteers who work for the force.

He has also been a leading member in local and national charitable organisations for many years and headed the volunteer programme for Macmillan Cancer Support for ten years.

After retiring from Macmillan he was appointed chairman of the Home Start, the UK’s leading family support charity. Richard also assists the Eden Project with its volunteer programme.

The Olympic flame will begin its historic journey through our region today when it steams into Pickering from Whitby.

It will pass through Scarborough, Filey, Bridlington, Hull, Goole, Camblesforth, Selby, Monk Fryston and Tadcaster before it wind its way through York.