Duck Race Raises £1100
The 11th Wimborne in Bloom August Bank Holiday Weekend Duck Race has raised £1100 towards ‘In Bloom’ funds and in particular the Autumn planting.
The Town Mayor and Mayoress Councillor Terry and Mrs Pauline Wheeler along with members of the Wimborne in Bloom Committee launched the Ducks into the River Allen by the Riverside Mews Café Bridge on the afternoon of Saturday 28 August. With the rains of earlier in the week the river level had risen a little and the first ducks to cross the finishing line at the Rising Sun Car Park completed their journey in a little less than twenty minutes. The rest of the field followed in hot pursuit!
The winning Duck No. 929 was owned by Marie Critchell who won £50.00. Second home was Duck 247 owned by Maggie Peckham, who won £25. Third Duck was No. 798 owned by Frank Joyce who won £10 and Fourth was Duck No.947 owned by Nick Hawkes who won £5.00. The last Duck home No.523 won a ‘Bottle of Wine’ kindly donated by The Rising Sun, for its owner Mrs/Mrs Brady.
All 1100 ducks had been pre-sold at £1 a time thanks to Somerfield and Waitrose allowing members of Wimborne in Bloom a selling point at the entrance to their stores prior to the Race.
Anthony Oliver, Chairman of Wimborne in Bloom, speaking after the Race “thanked everyone who helped with the selling of tickets and all those who purchased ‘Ducks’ in support of Wimborne in Bloom. In addition to thanking Somerfield and Waitrose he also expressed thanks to The Minster Press for the use of the Bridge from which to launch the ducks and the Rising Sun for the finishing line, the use of their garden and the prize for the winner of the last duck home.