Last chance to enter the Crazy Horsham Pancake Races
03 Feb 2012
Don’t just waffle, this is the last chance to join in the fun at Horsham’s Crazy 4th Annual Charity Pancake Races in the Carfax on Thursday 16 February 2012 between Noon and 2pm…….and if you don’t want to actually race, come and cheer the ‘flippers’ and enjoy the entertainment. It will be flippin’ fantastic. The event will be compered by TV personality Dave Benson Phillips who will be entertaining you in his usual wonderful way and adding to the fun atmosphere.
The first Pancake race was held in Olney Buckinghamshire in 1445. No one is quite sure how it originated but it was run on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent, when the whole day was given over to a festival of pranks and pastimes which formed part of the last fling celebrations. Over the ensuing years many towns across the Country have adopted the Pancake Race ritual and Horsham joined the ritual in 2009. This year’s Horsham Race is being held a little earlier to co-incide with the School Half term holidays.
Horsham’s event, organised by the Rotary Club of Horsham and sponsored by Ringway Ltd, with support from Horsham District Council, consists of Team Relay Races with many local businesses, charities and other organisations competing to win the Prizes. Sainsbury’s and the Non Stop Party Shop are sponsoring the Prizes for the overall Winning Team and the Team with the Best Fancy Dress, whilst Ringway are providing the Racing Arena. Waitrose continue to present a prize to the Winning Team with all racers being over 40 years of age. Sainsbury’s are providing the Pancakes, Sugar and Lemon Juice.
We are pleased to announce that South East Hearing Centres are presenting a new prize this year for the Best Individual Fancy Dress.
All proceeds will go to Charity, with the Charity chosen by the winning team and the most nominated Charity receiving a third of the money each and The Rotary Club of Horsham donating the remainder to other nominated causes.
Many teams have already sent in their Entry Forms including teams from last year’s winners Horsham Markets, The Magic Bus, and The Rotary Club of Horsham. Entries have also been received from RSA, Samaritans, Sainsburys (2 Teams), Winston’s Wish, Ringway, Horsham Young Rotary, Amber, The Resident and Nat West to name but a few.
A special treat this year, being organised by the Children’s Trust, will be a Mascot Egg and Spoon Race with 12 Mascots ....including Bears, Rabbits, a Shark, a Dragon and Cats and Dogs.... competing for the Ringways Mascot Cup. The Mascots will also mingle with the Crowds and there will be loads of photo opportunities !!
The Team races are four people relays, fast walking over 4 x 80 metres. Naturally every participant also has to prove their ability to flip pancakes whilst they race and each Team is encouraged to either wear Fancy Dress or, where relevant, Charity or Company branded T-shirts. There are no restrictions on Teams so they can just be friends or even a family!!
Team Entries
A small entry fee of £25 per Team will be charged for the Competition, and any Organisation entering a Team can have a free stall in the Carfax for promotional purposes. Organisations not entering a Team can hire a stall for £20, subject to availability, by contacting the organisers at the numbers below.
Team Entrance is by application only to The Rotary Club of Horsham.
More details can be obtained from John Le Rossignol tel: 01403 754005 or Brian Little tel: 01403 257102 or
email: horshamrotary@btconnect.com.