Pancake flippers needed for race

Run by Horsham Rotary Club in partnership with Horsham District Council and now in its fifth year, this year’s team event will take place during lunch time with the first race starting at noon.

As well as the racing, visitors can enjoy an array of music and entertainment, with volunteers on hand to raise money for local charities nominated by the participants.

The event will be held a week before Shrove Tuesday to coincide with half term, and is being sponsored by highways maintenance firm Ringway, who have an office in Springfield Road.

Sainsbury’s will be supplying the pancakes, while Waitrose, Non-Stop Party Shop, Rawlison Butler and the South East Hearing Centre.

Firms can enter a team of four for the 80 metre relay race, using their own frying pan and non slip shoes. The course is designed to encourage a mix of skill and speed.

There will be cups and prizes awarded to the winners on the day, including best team fancy dress, best over 40s team, winning charity team, best individual fancy dress, and best flipper overall winning team.

Last year’s victors, from Sainsbury’s, won £200 for their chosen charity, Guide Dogs for the Blind, as well as getting their name on the trophy, The Sainsbury’s Cup.

Horsham Rotary Club won the Rotary Shield for the winning charity, and the best fancy dress prize was won by a team from Music Bus, with their leader Hannah Batten picking up the South East Hearing Centre Trophy for the best individual fancy dress.

The Rotary Club also won the Waitrose Trophy for the best over-40s team and Innocent Ncube from the winning Sainsbury’s Team was crowned best flipper and took home the Rawlison Butler Trophy.

Charities are also big winners with the charity nominated by the most teams also receiving £200, with St Catherine’s Hospice. Winston’s Wish and Set4Success receiving funds in 2012.

In conjunction with the Children’s Trust, they will also hold a mascot egg and spoon race with giant mascots, where Howie the Hornet will try to stop Barnie the Bear winning again.

All of the money raised from the event will be split between the overall winning team’s chosen charity, the charities most voted for by the entrants, and the Rotary Club, which helps many local charities.