Successful bed race needs helpers

Thursday 13th October 2011

Volunteers are being called on to help organisers of the Great Knaresborough Bed Race which sees teams carrying a tube bed along a race route.

The event generates more than £100,000 for good causes as runners race with their specially made beds along the gorge in Knaresborough and through the ancient market town.

The three-mile course then ends with a swim in the River Nidd.

The North Yorkshire event, organised by The Knaresborough Lions, sees 90 teams take part, each of six runners, a passenger and a bed. Top teams complete the course in about 15 minutes.

An estimated 25,000 people came to the 2011 race and now the Lions are opening membership of the organising committee to non-Lions for the 2012 event.

Chairman Alan Walgate said: "Bed Race has grown to such an extent that we are keen to welcome any who want to assist. Anyone who wants to help can come along and be part of the committee; there is no need for them to become a Lion."

The 2012 race on June 9 will take an Olympic theme.

Mr Walgate added: "The Olympic Nations theme has been suggested because of the obvious national connections in 2012. We thought that restricting designs and fancy dress just to athletics might undermine the creativity of entrants, so we are going to give each team a nation involved in the Olympics to base their displays on.

"This will give them greater scope and we will have a lottery to fit the Olympic nation to each team."

The bed race has been held annually since 1966.

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