It’s absolutely quackers – but it’s for a good cause.
The UK’s first duck race down a waterfall is going to be held in Wrexham on Saturday, June 4.
It’s being organised by Wrexham Rotary Club to raise money for the Hope House and Ty Gobaith children’s hospices which serve North and Mid Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire
The venue is the Spanish Steps at the Eagles Meadow shopping centre where a series of technical trials have already been held in readiness for the big day.
According to Eagles Meadow manager Kevin Critchley, there were a number problems to overcome – but it was a challenge he was determined not to duck.
There will be a series of races with yellow plastic ducks starting at 12 noon and running until 4pm.
The idea for the ducking and diving challenge was dreamt up by Rotarian Bob Gray who lives nearby.
He explained: “We are always looking for new ideas to raise money and the duck races down the Spanish Steps are ideal
“A lot of people come here with children and there is no traffic here so it is a safe environment. It’s going to be a lot of fun on the day.”
Fellow Rotarian John Troth, Chairman of the International Committee that’s organising the event, “Usually, duck races are held out in the wild in a river but this is right in the middle of the shopping centre so it’s unique.
“The ducks will be put in at the top of the water feature and we coax them down the waterfalls until they reach the winning line at the bottom.
“Those taking part will have to pay £1 per duck and the various races are being sponsored by shops in the Eagles Meadow complex so there will be prizes at the end of the race for the winner.”
Kevin Critchley immediately said yes when he was approached by Bob Gray.
He said: “A lot of people think we’re quackers but to us it’s like water off a ducks back.
“We did a couple of trials with single ducks and that caused a few raised eyebrows.
“We found that the ducks would go through the gaps but caught in the eddies – so we have put in extra pieces of slate to minimise the eddies and create a few channels.
“Although it might appear to be a simple task of putting ducks in at the top and waiting for them at the bottom, I promise you it’s not that easy.
“I would think that plastic duck racing down a waterfall is a first for Wales – unless somebody has sent a duck over Niagara Falls, it’s probably a world first!
“When Bob came to us with this idea, it was so crazy that it’s just got to be done.
“It’s for a great cause. We are part of the community here in Wrexham and Hope House provides a much-needed service.
“It costs over £4 million to keep the doors open and run all the services in the two hospices and the families’ own homes.
“Of that, they get 30 days’ funding from the Government, the NHS and other statutory bodies which means that over 95 per cent of their funding comes from voluntary income.
“They have 400 families on their books and 270 of them have a child using one of their two hospices, Hope House, near Oswestry, or Ty Gobaith, near Conwy.
“The duck races are an opportunity to have a lot of fun and raise money for this vital service at the same time.”
