A fantastic spectacle took place in Perth city centre recently - despite an incoming tide on the River Tay giving organisers of the World Scout Jamboree Duck Race some delay in calling a winner.
A group of Scouting families and their youngsters whipped up excitement on Tay Street for a playful challenge on Saturday, April 16.
They’d sold 2000 tickets for a giant duck race to help fundraise for 10 Explorer Scouts picked from Perth and Kinross to go to the 25th World Scout Jamboree in Korea next year.
Thanks to sponsors Haddow Bathrooms and Kitchens, there was £300 riding on the first of 2000 plastic bath toy ducks to pass under the Queen’s Bridge in the centre of Perth, a £200 prize for the next trusty duck to pass the parapet and a further £100 for the ‘owner’ of speedy duck number three.
The race was started at 3pm with a blast of an air horn on Smeaton’s Bridge as the crates of daring duckies were released into the mighty River Tay.
But water moving up the river against the flow going down meant the race took over 55 minutes to be completed instead of the planned 15 minute ‘swimming’ time carefully calculated in advance.
No matter, the Scout group - some keeping watch on the yellow toys from canoes, others on paddleboards - still eventually had a clear winner in their Easter Saturday fundraiser: number 1768.
A drone flew over capturing the finish line action and Scouts quickly removed an improvised boom from the river designed to capture any ducks preparing to disappear down-river to Dundee.
“We are delighted to confirm the 2022 Scout Duck Race winners as Iain Baird with duck 1768, who wins £300, £200 to Chris Kirk, duck 1981, and £100 for Elaine Garvie, duck 1535,” explained the East Scotland Unit 4 25th WSJ Perth and Kinross Fundraising Team on social media.
There was an awesome home baking stall outside St Matthew’s Church and passers-by played games at hooking ducks out of a pool and took home craft items too.
“The winners of Guess the Number of Sweets kindly donated by Kerrigan’s was Jenny Shek,” the team added. “The winner of our tiger Chingu birthday challenge was Daisy McGlashian.
“A massive thank you to everyone who supported the event and we’re delighted to confirm that we raised over £5500 to help our young people travel to Korea in 2023 for the World Scout Jamboree.
“Particular thanks to an anonymous donor who made an incredibly generous contribution.
“Thanks to other local businesses and organisations that supported us, including the St Matthew’s Church, Cunningly Good Group, Willowgate, Instant Image and Fire and Rescue, who were promoting water safety.”
Stephen Gorton, Explorer Scout leader from Perth, said: “We had over 60 volunteers from Scouting, who made the day, with a very clear message that we ‘Do more, Learn more and can Be more’. Scouting is all about supporting young people with skills for life.
“It was lovely to see hundreds of people in Perth enjoying a fun event.”
Anyone wanting to help the WSJ Scouts live their dream of visiting South Korea can contribute to the appeal at www.gofundme.com/f/perth-and-kinross-world-scout-jamboree-2023
