Photo op showing City of Edinburgh Council Modern Apprentice John Beaton, 19, who carried the Olympic Flame at Hopetoun House yesterday (13 June 2012) with Chief Executive Sue Bruce at the Council's Waverley Court headquarters.
Beaton was diagnosed with glue ear as a baby and had to have gromits fitted. He was diagnosed with Asperger's at 17. After years of struggling he now referees rugby and is a Scout Leader.
At age 14, John organised 100 scouts to carry flags at Murrayfield for the Calcutta Cup. John was also member of the Scottish Youth Parliament. He never thought he would pass his exams but he proved everyone wrong by sitting Higher Business Management. John is currently working towards an SVQ at level 3 in Business Administration as part of the MA programme.
"The atmosphere at Hopetoun House was electric," said Beaton, "especially when the young people from the local West Lothian primary schools started cheering as the convoy arrived in the estate. I got a sense that Scotland was very much hosting the Games as well as London and the fact they used local torchbearers who were nominated by the local community added an extra feeling of the Olympics coming to the heart of communities across the country, not just London."
Sue Bruce congratulated Beaton, one of 70 of the Modern Apprentices at the council, saying, "He carried the Olympic Flame in style yesterday and did Edinburgh and the Council proud".