was very fortunate that by Pancake Day on
fortunate to have a mild, cloudy and windless
day for celebrating Shrove Tuesday in the town.
the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Bucks, The High
Sheriff, Mayor of Milton Keynes, Deputy Mayor
of Olney, Our MP and two Milton Keynes
Councillors as well as a representative from the
US Embassy and from Liberal. Each of our
guests took the Pancake Bell and started one of
the Children's Races. We are in debt to the
heads and staff at the Infants and Middle
Schools for their co-operation and to all the
children who took part for their enthusiastic
participation. BBC Newsround spent the whole
morning filming and it featured well on the
programme in the evening.
build up started with interviews and more
filming. We must thank the police for stopping
the traffic in time for the false starts for the
camera and then for the race to start at
11.55am. This year there was no shriving bell
rung at the Parish Church as they are all down
being repaired. This didn't prevent our Church
Warden Paul Coli giving the ladies a good send
off with the Pancake Bell. Crowds lined the
course down the High Street South and into
Church Street as the ladies sped on their way
and as they came into view at the finish Jane
Hughes and Maxine Smith were neck and neck,
time of 62 seconds. Some more senior runners
came at a more leisurely pace and two ladies
running `three legged' plus a minder brought up
the rear.
course the traditional welcome from the verger
and our new Rector Claire Wood, a large
congregation gathered inside the church for
the Shriving Service and the prize giving
ceremony at the end.
D. Boddy, Hilary Brock, Stephen Oakley,
Garrard & Allen, Factory Shoe Shop, Bull Hotel,
Projector Lifting, Bacchus Wine, Desmond
Smail, Art Mart, Peter Jay, Traka plc, Carlton
House Club, Allens of Olney, The Co-operative
Group, Donzella's Restaurant, Alan Richardson,
Ice Twice, Aubergines, The Flower Shop,
DeVine Hair, The Bedfordshire Golf Club, Jays
of Olney, Parkins of Olney, Gerald Wilson, Much
A Do, Marcus Jordan and Captain Carpet.
and we are very grateful to all who help in any
way.
their participation. It is good to know that many
of the ladies had used their entry to the race to
raise sponsorship money to go to the charity or
good cause of their choice, and between those
who were sponsored nearly £3,000 was raised,
a truly great achievement and we hope to build
on this in future years.
day, mainly the raffle, selling pancakes, the
tombolla, plus the Pancake Day Sponsorship
money will raise around £5,000 to go to future
fabric repair on our wonderful Parish Church.
supported the day. Next year Pancake Day is
16th February 2010 so please make a note now
to keep that day free.