Upper Dean’s most quack-tastic tradition is back, and this year it turns 30. The Eileen Wade Primary School Duck Dash returns next month (21 March) with a rubber duck race that has become one of the school’s biggest and most loved fundraising events.
First held in 1994, the Duck Dash is organised entirely by volunteers, who tip 1,700 rubber ducks into the village brook to see which one finishes the course first. And there are big prizes on offer to those taking part.
It’s also a big win for the school. Last year alone, it brought in £3,714, funding school trips, travel for educational outings, new musical instruments, a pupil allotment, and additional learning resources.
At 11.30am, numbered ducks will be released into the brook at The Bridge on Brook Lane. They will bob their way downstream to the Ford, where they are caught, and prizes are handed out in the order they cross the line.
All ducks are retrieved by volunteers, so none are left in the brook after the event.
There are more than 40 prizes up for grabs this year, including a £200 Champneys Henlow spa voucher, alongside a host of experiences and vouchers donated by local businesses.
Village fete
Once the race is run, the focus shifts back to Eileen Wade Primary School for a traditional village fete from 12pm to 3pm.
Expect games and stalls, hot and cold food vendors, and a licensed bar open until 3pm. The event regularly draws visitors from across the surrounding villages and has even received mentions on BBC Radio 2 in recent years.
Although two years were lost to the COVID pandemic, organisers say reaching a 30th anniversary feels like a milestone moment for an event that has become firmly woven into village life.
Duck tickets cost £2 in advance or £2.50 on the day and are available via the Eileen Wade Duck Dash Facebook page.
