Calling all wacky pancake racers

They have delayed it a few days so that it coincides with the school half term as they are once again including, especially for the youngsters, a real Mascot Egg and Spoon Race.

The event is once again organised by The Rotary Club of Horsham in partnership with

Horsham District Council and, following the success of previous years, which have featured TV and radio coverage, this year’s team event will take place during lunch time with the first race kicking off at noon.

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In addition to the racing, an array of musical and fun entertainment will engage the cheering crowds of onlookers. The whole event will raise money for local charities that are nominated by the participants.

The main sponsor for this year’s event is locally based highway maintenance company, Ringway, with staff organising the race course and signage, as well as sponsoring the Mascot Race Prizes along with Sainsbury’s, which will be supplying the pancakes, and Waitrose, Non-Stop Party Shop, Rawlison Butler and the South East Hearing Centre.

The call is going out for businesses and other organisations to get together a team of four who can enter the 80 metre relay race, using their own frying pan and non slip shoes. The course is designed to encourage a mix of skill and speed.

There will be cups and prizes awarded to the winners on the day, including:

•Best Team Fancy Dress

•Best Over 40’s Team

•Winning Charity Team

•Best Individual Fancy Dress

•Best Flipper overall Winning Team.

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Last year’s winning team was from Sainsbury’s who won £200 for their chosen charity, Guide Dogs for the Blind, as well as getting their name on their own magnificent trophy, The Sainsbury’s Cup. Horsham Rotary Club won the Rotary Shield for the winning Charity, and the Best Fancy Dress Prize was won by a team from Music Bus, with their leader Hannah Batten picking up the South East Hearing Centre Trophy for the best individual Fancy Dress. The Rotary Club also won the Waitrose Trophy for the Best Over-40’s Team and Innocent Ncube from the winning Sainsbury Team was crowned Best Flipper and took home the Rawlison Butler Trophy.

Local charities were also big winners with the charity nominated by the most teams also receiving £200 ....last year this went to St Catherine’s Hospice. Winston’s Wish and Set4Success each received £100 for being the next highest nominated charities.

This year, in conjunction with the Children’s Trust, we will once again be featuring a Mascots Egg and Spoon Race with Giant Mascots...including giraffes, bears, cats, dogs and of course, Horsham’s very own Ringo the Dragon, racing to win the Ringway Mascot ‘Gold’ Cup. The whole event should be spectacular for the kids and onlookers as our various four legged friends, led by Horsham FC’s Howie the Hornet try to stop Barnie the Bear winning the trophy again.

How to Enter a Team

A small entry fee of £25 per team will be charged for the main competition, and any non-profit organisation entering a team can have a free stall in the Carfax for promotional purposes (these are available strictly on a first served basis) and businesses that enter a team can have publicity banners in the Carfax on race day.

Charities to benefit

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All of the money raised from the event will be split between the overall winning team’s chosen charity, the charities most voted for by the entrants, and The Rotary Club of Horsham that helps many local charities.

Horsham’s 5th Great Pancake Race Day is on Tuesday 19 February – weather and ground conditions permitting. Heats will start in the Carfax at 12noon.

There will be a maximum of 32 teams. Entries will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Charity and non profit organisations that enter teams may also have a free stall at the event to promote their activities; businesses that enter teams or sponsor the event can display banners in the Carfax.

Entrance is by application only to The Rotary Club of Horsham.

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Entries can be submitted through the Horsham Rotary Website (www.horshamrotary.org.uk )or by emailing [email protected] with your details or by mailing the entry form below to: Horsham Rotary Club, 8 Whytings, Mannings Heath, RH13 6JZ together with a cheque for £25 made payable to the Rotary Club of Horsham.