- Bibury Duck Race
- International attention
- Fundraising for Cricket Club
The 35th annual Bibury Village Duck Race will put an eccentric village custom on an “international” stage.
On the idyllic River Coln, hundreds of residents, tourists, and a new “live-stream” component are anticipated to attend the festive event.
On Boxing Day, the occasion commences at 11:00 GMT with the discharge of 3,000 rubber ducks into the river.
Organisers are providing an Instagram live broadcast, which has generated international interest.
Families are cordially invited to sponsor the rubber ducks for a nominal donation; the earnings will be used to support the Bibury Cricket Club’s fundraising efforts in conjunction with a designated local charity.
The proprietors of the first ducks to cross the finish line will be awarded prizes.
Charlie Robinson, the race’s groundskeeper, stated that worldwide interest has been generated and that current sponsors consist of families from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, and the United States.
Mr. Robinson stated that it is quite remarkable to see 3,000 inflatable ducks racing down a river that is perhaps 6 metres wide.
This year the water level is exceptionally high, so the race should be quite swift-moving.
A Quirky Blend of History and Fundraising
Bibury Cricket Club committee member Jack Merrylees described the “slightly peculiar” tradition as a “fun and engaging way to unite the village.”
“The origins of it have been obscured by the passage of time.” “It is a development of the village’s pretty popular ‘Poohsticks’,” Mr. Merrylees explained.
“Bibury is an incredibly beautiful, historic medieval village and we get thousands of tourists every year,” he added.
It has evolved into one of those charming and remarkable English customs that individuals find amusing, intriguing, and marginally peculiar.
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The cricket club raised £2,500 from last year’s race, and organisers are hopeful that the international attention will enable them to raise even more this year.
Without these fundraising days, institutions like our local cricket club would die, Mr. Merrylees said.
The funds will be allocated to the cricket club’s general operations. Fundraising from the previous year was used to purchase an artificial pitch for neighbourhood children to use for practice sessions.
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