The Duck Race

Penshurst's Jubilee Weekend

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The Friends of Penshurst Church have been very active over the Jubilee period. First we welcomed, twenty two American visitors to the church to take part in two special bell ringing sessions. The visitors loved every minute of it and were hugely impressed with the church and the abilities of our bell ringers! Funny how often it takes "outsiders" for us to appreciate just what a precious asset Penshurst has.

The bells rang out for the second session just as we opened the gates for the third annual Great Penshurst Duck Race. We were lucky to have the best of the Jubilee weekend weather and we had a tremendous turn out of spectators from far and wide. Over two thousand of the little yellow ducks set off in what turned out to a very fast flowing river!

We also had six large ducks hand painted by each of the forms at Penshurst Primary School. The Jubilee was marked by a third extra special race for all sorts of non standards ducks including queen ducks with crowns and guardsmen ducks with bearskins! All in all a wonderfully surreal, truly British sight accompanied by much consumption of burgers, drink and ice cream by the riverbank crowds. If you didn't make it this time come along next year and see the fun for yourself.

The weekend was rounded off by a superb beacon lighting and firework display given very generously by Lord and Lady de L'Isle. Us lucky spectators walked back down the track to our cars with a full moon overhead and a magical mist making its way across the surrounding fields. Wonderful.

The Penshurst Duck Race

Anticipating the Jubilee Ducks Launch

Preparing to launch

The Special Jubilee Ducks

Preparing for the main event launch

The Launch

They're off

Penshurst School Large Ducks Set Off