Quentin ‘Q’ Gunderson lit the Olympic cauldron as the Flame rested in the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday, July 11. He was nominated for his work for Christian-run education charity TLG Lynda Bowyer

WHEN Reading’s Olympic cauldron needed lighting, organisers knew who they needed to call on – Q.

This Q however wasn’t James Bond’s gadget-loving friend, but Torchbearer Quentin ‘Q’ Gunderson, who completed the first leg of the Olympic Flame’s journey through Berkshire on Tuesday, July 10.To music from Chariots of Fire, Q took the Flame through the Madejski Stadium to light the cauldron. The Flame as resting in Reading overnight, before beginning its journey to Salisbury the next morning. Q had been nominated for his work with the Reading TLG Centre, an independent charity run school, working with those in educational crisis. TLG is a Christian-run charity that believes education is a basic human right and aims to give a second chance to children and young people who have been excluded from school or at a crisis point in their education. The Reading base is at St Birinus in Calcot and Q is the centre manager there. He had been in training for the epic sprint, taking part in an iron man triathlon in May to raise funds for the centre. As well as the Torch lighting ceremony, there was a range of entertainment including 13 youngsters who performed as part of the Promised Members group: children born on December 20, 2004 – 20/12 – were offered the chance to take part in an Olympic ceremony. Music came from Young Guns and there were speeches from former Olympians and Sir John Madejski. Q found the day to be one to remember and told the Reading Post: “This is the most incredible experience of my life. The people of Reading are amazing.”v For more on TLG, log on to its website, www.tlg.org.ukv Our cover picture is of the cauldron that Q lit when he

arrived with the Olympic Flame at the Madejski Stadium.