Birstall BAGS team presented with a cheque
The 8th White Horse Birstall annual charity duck race was a superb success despite the less than perfect weather. The top winning duck was number 634 receiving a £100 and there were nearly 50 other prizes. £3,154 was raised for Birstall Bags and over £730 was raised for other local causes too
“I am really happy with this year’s event, as it really was a community effort, with lots of people helping to make it a special day and also the funds raised will benefit more than one community group” said Charlotte Foy.
Gemma Lawrenson from Girl guiding in Birstall said they made £147 and the Money will be split between the Guides that helped out as part of an International camp they are attending called Charnwood 2016.” The camp is hosted by Guides and Scouts of Leicestershire but has representatives from over 20 different countries attending and around 4,000 people attending the camp in total. It’s going to be an awesome experience for the girls!” she said
Phil Hughes from Birstall United Juniors Football club said “It was a great day, we raised £136 which will go towards buying new footballs for next season.
Acorn under 5’s playgroup provided a much needed indoor activity and made duck race and Leicester city hats with the children. “We raised £50 which has been spent on a slide which the children are already enjoying at Acorn” said Jackie Bateman
Highcliffe PTA, donated £50 of their takings to BAGS but will put the other £200 towards new reading books for the younger children at Highcliffe, maths equipment for the whole school and some towards the year 6 leavers trip.
Riverside PTA, helped the cause by selling more than 440 ducks at their school, they also made £219 on the day which is being added to a fund to help paint the school playground.
Emma Shaw said “Birstall BAG’s are overwhelmed at the support shown throughout the whole duck race extravaganza. From those who donated prizes, the BAG’s supporters that sold Ducks and people who bought them. Thank you to the helpers who made cakes, fellow clubs and societies that donated takings and once again our gratitude to those who manned the stalls on the day. Finally thank you to Charlotte, James, Ady, Jenny and all the White Horse team for putting together such a wonderful community event. A whopping £3154 was raised for Birstall BAG’s on the day and we promise it will all go toward supporting a cause of potential benefit to the Birstall Community.
The new duck decorating competition was an outstanding success with 177 children taking part. Charlotte Foy said “The Ducks made a dazzling display for the Duck Race day, it was so difficult to choose the winners as we could see how much time and effort had gone into each one and they were all so creative”
The winners were:- Abbey Doughty age 4 from Acorns, Brayden Astley, Maisie Staples, Ethan Burton, Thomas Macmanard and Owen Bates from Riverside and Lily Carpenter, Joel Moore and Libby Doyle from Highcliffe.
The White Horse would particularly like to thank the PTA’s of each of the Primary schools who helped facilitate the duck decorating competition and the selling of ducks. We would also like to thank all those who kindly donated prizes and Rosie Holdsworth for arranging and collecting the majority of the prizes. “Nearly all the business’s in the village donated something which is fantastic!” said Rosie of Birstall Bags. Those who contributed were:- Aroma Spice, Unique Hair, Birstall Golf Club, Mark Patrick butcher, Carpets of Choice, Ruby Tuesday Café, Glenwood Interiors, Anne El Marie Hairdressers, Silly prices, Little Red Devil deli, Bodycraft Tattoo Parlour, Tesco, Birstall Aquatics, Barbies Hair, The Plough, Leicester Outdoor Pursuits centre, Birstall Fisheries, Be Beau, Faces Arts, TJ Cycles, Dance Academy, Stonehurst Farm, Chic Revive Hair Salon, Acorn preschool, Riverside & Highcliffe PTA’s, MDW Fireplaces, Fusion Leisure, Leicester Tigers, Birstall Parish Council, Rachel Ince Photography, GD Beauty, Dans Barbers, Lambourne Café, Leicester county Cricket. Special Thanks also to Katie Bateman, Paddle Plus, Knitting Guerrilla’s of Blighty (KGB), Think sign and Print and Kaines Castles
As an aside, The Leicester Riders who didn’t make the duck race due to a clerical error at there end have offered to come and hold an event on Saturday 4th June at 3pm at the White Horse where kids will get to meet some players and get some basketball tips.
