Team England’s baton designer Bonnie Steward was left speechless after seeing her creation in action at Glasgow 2026.
Steward created the baton, which was part of the King’s Baton Relay across the Commonwealth, using litter and plastic pollution she picked up across England.
The Cornwall-based artist then saw her design travel around the country before arriving in Glasgow this week ahead of Thursday’s opening ceremony, where it will be carried by swimmer Luke Greenbank.
Steward made the long trip from Cornwall to Glasgow in order to see the baton reach its final destination and can’t wait to see some action for herself.
“It's completely surreal, if I'm honest,” she said. “It's an incredible feeling to be here, seeing all the wonderful, inspiring athletes walking around and having conversations with them.
“It's just an incredible moment, a massive milestone, and a complete joy to be here.”
Steward did not have long to take her baton from idea to reality and spent much of her time finding her materials on beaches and from the River Thames.
Creating a design that embodied the whole of England was no easy feat but Steward was thrilled with the final result, which has earned plenty of admirers.
“When I was told I would be creating something to represent England, I wanted to make a piece of artwork that people could feel a connection with,” she added.
“I wanted people to see an image that might spark a memory, make them smile, or create a connection that felt important.
“I wasn't given a brief or told to do anything specific. It just had to represent England.
“I focussed on places and cities, really iconic locations, but also urban and coastal settings.
“Making something that would resonate with people was really important to me. I wanted to create a piece of artwork that united and connected us all together.
“I was working continuously, day and night, including weekends. Usually my artwork takes between six months and a year to collect everything, clean everything and then create the final piece, so it was a real stretch but it was amazing.
“For people to see the work, hear the story, and for it to become part of the Commonwealth Games is just an unbelievable moment for me. I hope I can continue to raise awareness and continue to share the story.”
Steward’s baton represents the whole of England but the 28-year-old’s Cornish roots shine through.
She is based in Porthleven and the county’s coastal heart has been key to her environmentally focussed work.
“Cornwall was definitely part of it,” she said. “Growing up there has been the basis and foundation of my work so far. It was important to include that influence in some way.
“At the same time, although Cornwall is really important to me, I wanted the artwork to be important to everyone. I hope people can look at it, smile and feel that it resonates with them. I hope it feels like home.”
