2022 WIMBORNE IN BLOOM DUCK RACE RAISES OVER £1,400

The 22nd Wimborne in Bloom August Bank Holiday Weekend Duck Race has raised over £1,400 towards ‘In Bloom’ funds in particular towards the planting up of the planters around Town for the Autumn.

The Mayor of Wimborne Minster, Mayor Cllr Mrs Carol Butter and the Town Crier Chris Brown together 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 27th August. In spite of the River Allen being somewhat low in water the first duck crossed the finishing line behind the Rising Sun Public House in East Street in twenty minutes.

From the left: Chris Hooker, Wimborne in Bloom Committee Member, Town Mayor Cllr Carole Butter, Mayors Escort Lynne, Tom Scrase, Freelance Photographer and Richard Nunn, Chairman Wimborne in Bloom

Once again to meet the demand for tickets some of the ducks were ‘co-owned’ as it would have been impractical to increase beyond a thousand the number of ducks launched into the river. It meant that the prize money could be doubled as both owners would be eligible for the full value of all prizes. In the event two of the winning ducks were ‘co-owned’ and the full list of results is as follows:

1st Duck to cross the line was No:831 owned by Alison Watkins who won £50. The 2nd Duck No:222 was co-owned by John & Carole Crease and Andrew Harvey who both won £25. 3rd Duck No:562 was owned by Penny Nunn who received £10, the 4th Duck No:866 was owned by Patricia Tate who kindly donated her winnings of £5 back to Wimborne in Bloom. 5th Duck No:983 was owned by Dexter Howells who received £5 and the 6th Duck No:336 was co-owned by Anne Hampton who also donated her winnings of £5 to Wimborne in Bloom and Lilly-May Light who won £5. Last Duck home No:512 was Co-owned by Geoff Smith and Matthew who both received a bottle of wine.

All ducks had been pre-sold at £1 a time thanks to the Co-Operative Supermarket allowing members of Wimborne in Bloom to sell tickets outside their store.

Richard Nunn, 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 especially in our 30th anniversary year. It was great to see all those smiling faces as people followed the race down the river trying to spot their 'duck'. In addition to thanking the Co-Operative Supermarket, he also expressed thanks to the Slocock Trust for the use of the Bridge from which to launch the ducks and the Rising Sun for all their help both at the finishing line, the use of their garden area after the race and indeed for the ‘ducks’ they sold beforehand.