Flitton Potato Race Sunday 11th June 2023
Support team Mind BLMK and friends at the Flitton Potato Race this year!
We have been kindly chosen as Charity of the Year at this year’s Flitton Potato Race alongside Noah Enterprise, Primrose Car Service (Bedford Hospital Charity) and Doddie Foundation (MND). To date they have donated over £38,000 to charities, good causes and local projects – so we are thrilled to have been chosen.
This race has a history which started many moons ago. According to the tradition, it was held at the end of the potato season and provided an opportunity for the farmhands to earn some extra cash for a bit of fun. The runners would lift a 50kg sack of potatoes from churchyard of St John the Baptist, Flitton and run a mile to the farm at the other end of Greenfield, and for the privilege they were allowed to keep the potatoes. The first ever race was reportedly held between the 1st and 2nd world war.
It was revived in the late 1970’s by Somerset Moore, who was running The White Hart pub in Flitton, and whilst some traditions were retained, the route was reversed in order to finish at the pub for a well-deserved beverage.
In 2010 the race was revived in its current form. The route is the full mile finishing at The White Hart and it has been opened up to all ages but with different weights.
We are thrilled to be a Charity of the Year at the Flitton Potato Race 2023. We know how big this event is in the community so we can’t wait to get involved and have some fun. – Team Mind BLMK
About the 2023 race
There are race categories for all ages and depending on the category runners carry 20, 10, 5 or 2kg. You can either run the whole mile yourself or form a relay team of four to run a quarter of a mile each. All entrants go home with a commemorative medal and your spuds, if you so choose – which have been donated by Isle of Ely Produce.
Race categories
Adult Individual Mile for over 16s @ Midday
- 20kg for men, £200 first prize, £100 second prize, £50 third prize
- 10kg for ladies, £200 first prize, £100 second prize, £50 third prize
- Veterans prizes for the first place Male and Female runners aged 45 or over
- Entry fee £15 per person (£20 after deadline)
Adult Team Relay for over 16s @ 12.30
- Relay team of 4, each runner carrying 20kg or 10kg potatoes for 0.25 mile
- Teams can be mixed but only a full ladies team will qualify for the 10kg weight
- Veterans relay category – all runners must be aged 45 or over – 10kg bag
- Entry fee £40 per team (£50 after deadline)
Key Timings
- 10:00 -11:30 Race registrations for all runners (including Spud and Spoon) at The Village Hall.
- 11:35 Safety briefing for all runners (excluding Spud and Spoon) at The Village Hall.
- 12:00 – 12:30 Races start at Moat Farm, Greenfield.
- 12.40 Spud & spoon races start from Village Hall and Sand Road, Flitton.
- 14:00 approx Prize-giving at The White Hart of prizes & trophies.
- 15:00 approx Raffle and competition prize draws
We are putting together teams made up of our wonderful staff members and corporate clients to take part in the Adult Team Relay, to raise vital funds for Mind BLMK. It’s going to be a (hopefully) warm summer’s day of fun, which ends at the beautiful White Hart in Flitton – what’s not to like. On the field behind the pub, there will also be attractions, stalls, food and entertainment.
We will also be having our own stand in the field behind the pub to promote our services and tell people what we do.
If you like to support us then you can donate to our Just Giving Page. All donations made will go into an accumulative total to be split between ourselves and all chosen charities.
If you’d like to participate in the Potato Race individually or in your own group, then you can sign up to the race HERE and share our Just Giving page to help raise funds.
Thank you for supporting Mind BLMK.
For more information
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact [email protected] or phone us on 0300 330 0648
Find out more about the Flitton Potato Race HERE
Posted on: 13th April 2023
