Weird duck, raft and pram charity races in Surrey

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Surrey plays home to some rather strange British pastimes, including a number of plastic duck races, a plastic swan race, a variety of fancy dress pram races and at least one charity raft race a year.

These races appeal to the quirky British sense of humour and are a good way to muck about on the river banks while raising money for good causes. 

Windlesham  pram race happens annually each Boxing Day (26th December) while Oxted has its annual race in July. Sadly the annual Shere Pram Race was stopped about 10 years ago.  Pram races are now becoming rare due to increasing health and safety concerns and rising insurance costs for putting on the events.

Much safer, but just as daft, is the growing popularity of plastic duck races on Surrey’s various rivers and streams.  The Surrey Care Trust runs the “BIG Yellow Duck Race” on the River Wey, in Guildford, every summer. Leatherhead Duck Race, held in June on the River Mole also includes a plastic swan race. The event raises funds for Leatherhead based charity, The Rainbow Trust.

Another popular duck race happens at Chilworth every Easter Monday, on the Tillingbourne River, based at the ruins of the old Gunpowder Mills.   A similar event is held at Gostrey Meadow  in Farnham each summer.  Other duck races are currently run at Staines –on –Thames, Cobham, Ewell and Haslemere.

Just as weird and wonderful to watch is the annual charity raft race, based in Guildford on the River Wey.  Businesses from the town enter teams who then build crazy rafts, some of which float and some which do not!  A great spectator sport for the summer, held each July.