Waddle along to duck race and help support school

The first race starts at 12.30pm and a great range of family entertainment is also planned from midday around Riverside Walk and the Library car park in the heart of the village.

The event is held each year to raise vital funds for Storrington First School, to provide and maintain facilities and equipment for the children.

A spokesman for the event said: “With schools facing ever tighter budgets, it is falling to families to help fund the extras kids need to make school fun.

“West Sussex has seen the Worth Less? campaign gain traction in recent months but what can parents actually do to help?

“In Storrington, families have been focused for years on fun ways of funding their much loved school.”

There will more hotly contested races this year with six heats; the top ten ducks from each heat being entered into the Grand Finale, making seven races in all.

Ducks for each race are on sale now and can be bought in advance or on the day itself from the many volunteers in the village. Prizes are on offer for each of the heats with cash prizes available for the winning ducks in the Grand Finale.

There will be a boot fair, fun-fair rides and face-painting, craft stalls, music, ice-cream and cakes plus the ever popular barbecue, all organised and manned by the school’s supporters.

Sponsors of the event include Anderson Roundtree Solicitors and Arun Veterinary Group.

Storrington resident and AVG owner Matt Gittings said: “We’ve been proud sponsors of the event for the last seven years and now that we’re planning to relocate our practice to the site right alongside the race, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to do a little bit extra on the day. The Duck Race is an event close to my heart as all my daughters are either currently attending, or have passed through the school. They’ve all benefited from using the school swimming pool and events such as this are vital to raise funds for its annual maintenance.

“I’m glad the weather forecast is looking positive as every half hour between 12 and 2.30pm the AVG vets will be in the stocks taking wet sponges in the face for charity in our inaugural ‘Soak the Vet’ event. While you wait for your chance to pelt us, you can buy a £1 raffle ticket for a pet product hamper and get involved in our free prize draw to win a complimentary pet health club subscription for a year, worth up to £363.”

Car boot pitches are £10 each. Set up from 10.30 for a midday start. Limited number of spaces available. Either turn up on the day, or book in advance via [email protected].