By Andy Hirst
Slaithwaite will be the scene of a huge duck race this weekend to raise money for scouts in the village.
The 33rd Slaithwaite group is raising funds for scouts to go on trips both in the UK and overseas with the aim that two will go to the World Scout Jamboree in Korea in 2023.
So to boost funds they are staging Slaithwaite Duck Race 2022 on Saturday, July 16. It only costs £2 per duck and first prize is £500, second is £300 and third is £200.
More than 2,000 have already been sold with many still available. People can get their ducks from bit.ly/DuckSales2022 or from many of the shops in the village.
The ducks are tipped into the River Colne near The Little Bridge wine bar at 3pm and the race finishes at Spa Park where there will be food, drinks, stalls and entertainment from 1pm to 5pm.
There is also a corporate duck race. These ducks are blue, cost £25 each and the winning one gets a hamper with all the businesses who have bought a duck promoted on social media.
Slaithwaite scout group treasurer Joanne Gibson said: “A child’s time in scouting is a time to build precious memories so please join us in the countdown to Slaithwaite Duck Race 2022.
“It’s the first time we have done this so we have no idea how long the ducks will take to get to the park. It will all depend on water levels on the day.”
Many businesses in the village have rallied round to make the event happen and the main sponsor is Slaithwaite Cricket and Bowling Club.
Others that have helped include Waves Day Centre, Ruddi’s Retreat charity, Destination restaurant, The Little Bridge wine bar, Trojan Plastics, Ryder & Dutton estate agents and ByteBack Creative video production and website company. Huddersfield Round Table has provided the ducks.
Slaithwaite scouts are being helped to stage the event by scout groups from Marsden, Linthwaite and Milnsbridge.
Entertainment includes stalls such as hook a duck, a plate smash, soft archery and a chance for young children to try musical instruments.
Food ranges from Turkish and Greek to Mexican. There are dozens of stalls so people will also be able to buy anything from handmade jewellery, gifts, pottery, plants and crafts to goat’s milk shampoo and cosmetics.
Slaithwaite Duck Race has its own Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SlaithwaiteDuckRace/
Main image (top) shows Alannah Vendt who works behind the bar at the race’s main sponsor Slaithwaite Cricket and Bowling Club. Alannah is over here from New Zealand with her partner Blair McKenzie who is an overseas player with Slaithwaite and also runs summer cricket camps.
* Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging and copywriting. Copyright Andy Hirst.
