Ahead of this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scottish Thistles athlete Lexy Gillies represented Netball Scotland at the launch of the citywide Schools’ Baton Relay—uniting 330 nurseries and schools and giving 70,000 children and young people the chance to see and hold a Baton while learning about the Commonwealth and the power of sport.
A standout moment at the launch in Glasgow City Chambers was the involvement of Gillies, who attended to help inspire the next generation. Currently the youngest Scottish Thistle, Gillies described it as a “huge honour” to represent the team and meet pupils who are in the same position she was “not too long ago”. She highlighted how the relay captures the spirit of the Games because it’s “not just about the athletes—it’s about the whole city,” helping young people feel part of something bigger as Glasgow prepares to host a home Games.
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Delivered by Glasgow City Council on behalf of Glasgow 2026, the relay features 34 handcrafted Batons—one for each learning community—created by GalGael’s Tim Norman, the maker of the official King’s Batons, and carved from the same Pollok Park ash tree. The journey began with 74 young flag bearers parading the colours of every Commonwealth nation and territory. Glasgow 2026 runs 23 July–2 August, with a national digital resource pack enabling schools across Scotland to join the build-up.
