It is now a tradition at the Verwood Rustic Fair to see over hundred bright yellow plastic ducks being released en masse into the river. At the Verwood Rustic Fair, the annual duck race is high-stakes aquatic theatre. Companies and organisations sponsor ducks, parting with hard-earned cash in the hopes that fate—and a moderately cooperative river current—will carry their specific piece of moulded polymer past the finish line first. It’s corporate networking, but with significantly more splashing.
Beneath the cheerful chaos and the gentle ribbing of who bought the duck that got stuck behind a submerged branch, there is a very serious mission at play. Every pound raised through the sponsorship of these tiny plastic competitors goes straight back into supporting many charities and good causes, locally and internationally
So, while the winning duck earns its sponsor ultimate bragging rights and a shiny prize, the real victors are the local organisations who benefit from the generosity of the crowd. It turns out that mass corporate sponsorship of waterproof bath toys is one of the most effective ways to fund a good cause—proving once and for all that sometimes, you really can make a splash for charity.
The winners:
