Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling: Rebels turn to Facebook for support
REBEL cheese rollers who want to stage their own version of the cancelled event will not be given any support by organisers.
A groundswell of disgruntled fans posting on Facebook and other internet sites have vowed to throw themselves down Cooper's Hill next Monday, despite health and safety fears forcing the official event to be called off.
-
Flashback: Cheese Rolling in 2009
But Richard Jefferies, spokesman for the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Committee, has distanced himself from the copycat event.
He said: "I will not be going to the hill on the day and neither will any other member of the committee. There are no plans to hold a ceremonial rolling of the cheese or anything like that. I am sure people will come and some of them will go down the hill, but as far as we are concerned we will not be taking part.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
"Our focus is now on next year. This year's event has been cancelled."
The world-famous cheese rolling festival, which has taken place on Cooper's Hill for 200 years, was scrapped in March after insurers refused to cover the event.
More than 15,000 people flocked to the hill last year to take part in the madcap dash down a near-vertical slope in pursuit of a 7lb double Gloucester cheese.
The figure far outstripped the official capacity of the site, which is estimated to be 5,000, and prompted insurers to pull out until stricter limits are placed on the number of spectators.
The sudden move sparked fury among fans. The Facebook group Bring Back The Cheese Rolling now has more than 11,500 members, many of whom say they will stage their own event.
Poster Jamie MacDonald wrote: "The good thing is, if we all just rock up, there's not a damn thing they can do.
"No one will be to blame, because there will be no official organiser. Who's coming with me?"
Six-time winner Chris Anderson has also vowed to take to the hill on Monday, but says he has no quarrel with the organisers.
He has published a statement on the committee's website, www.cheese-rolling.co.uk distancing himself from people trying to organise a rebel cheese rolling run.
It said: "I will be up there on the day, but I'm not doing it to go against your wishes because I respect Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Committee and its members a lot. I don't know what it is, but I just can't stay away. I have organised nothing and the group on Facebook Bring Back The Cheese Rolling, has got nothing to do with me."
Comments
by Charles Darwin, The Galapagos Islands
Monday, May 24 2010, 11:26PM
“Well done! They should get an award...”
by Ronan the Barbarian, Barbaria
Monday, May 24 2010, 3:52PM
“So long as it's done Caerphilly, it shouldn't be a problem.”
by roger mellie, gloucester
Monday, May 24 2010, 2:53PM
“some might see it as pointless & stupid, myself included. the cheese rollers might see me racing motorcycles as pointless & stupid, each to their own. the bottom line is we should all have the choice to do whatever sport or interest we desire without P.C fools trying to stop others enjoying themselves. the same P.C fools who try to suppress freedom of speech.
I do however think that anyone involved in dangerous sports should have to pay for their own medical treatment through insurance & not burden the nhs.”
by Bacon Vicious, cheltenham
Monday, May 24 2010, 1:01PM
“If they want to kill themselves, let them do it - it's a free world.”
by Peter, Gloucester
Monday, May 24 2010, 12:26PM
“Just because it's tradition doesn't make it any less stupid and/or pointless.”
by geraint, gloucester
Monday, May 24 2010, 12:18PM
“It's called heritage, tradition, and freedom of choice Dean. And people come from all over the world to watch and take part. Cheeserolling may not be everyone's cup of tea, but more power to the rebels for keeping this unique local tradition alive.”
by Dean, Gloucester
Monday, May 24 2010, 11:48AM
“What is the point of this Cheese Rolling? All you do is run and chase a piece of Cheese and try to break your neck or something like that?”
by Bored, Glos
Monday, May 24 2010, 10:42AM
“Rustic what rubbish! Someone could just as easily break there neck with an ambulance on site. I'm sure the ambulance service will be primed ready to recive calls from the hill if needs be anyway.”
by Pikey, Brockworth
Monday, May 24 2010, 10:37AM
“Can we have an air ambulance standing by to take the injured to Gloucester & Cheltenham hospitals seeing as there will be no St Johns staff in attendance?”
by Rustic Twat, The Fetal Position
Monday, May 24 2010, 9:30AM
“Let the stupid pikes get up there and throw themselves off like lemmings with no onsite medical attention and an air ambulance far from primed. Idiots. You watch, someone will break their neck and die and then the problem will be "Why did you let us go up there and hurt ourselves?".”