EVENTS – Embracing your heritage
The children at Aston on Trent Primary School get involved in well dressing, making clay (above) for their colourful boards (right)
chase a large round of Double Gloucester down the very steep hill. ‘The whole village of Brockworth is proud of its unique tradition, and most make the trip up Cooper’s Hill to spectate,’ says Kathryn Bell, co-chair of the Friends of Castle Hill School (200 pupils), the closest school to Cooper’s Hill. ‘The children get involved by helping wrap the cheeses before they are fl ung down the hill. Many of them also take part in the children’s uphill race. As they get older, some join in the downhill races, which are a bit more risky.’ Because the cheese rolling is such
an important event, in 2024 the Friends ran a fundraiser the week before: the Brockworth 3 Peaks. ‘The steep route is three miles from the school to the top of Cooper’s Hill and back,’ says Kathryn. ‘More ambitious walkers can add in two more local hills. In 2024, more than 100 participants helped us raise over £1,400 for the school.’
Well, well, well Another vibrant tradition is well
dressing (decorating), found especially in Derbyshire. ‘Our village has a well dressing every year, and all the local groups get involved, each decorating a clay board,’ says Joanne Caplin, vice-chair of Aston School Parents’ Association (197 pupils). ‘All the children at the school can create a design based on
30 SPRING 2025 School Fundraising
our chosen theme for the year, and the PTA choose the winner.’ This design is drawn onto clay on a framed board. ‘Throughout well dressing week, each class adds some colour with petals and other natural materials until every inch is fi lled.’ The well dressing committee
places the boards around the village. ‘There are stalls, games and entertainment throughout the weekend,’ says Joanne. ‘The PTA also holds a rainbow raffl e. It’s one of our big annual earners, as everyone wants to support the school. We’re raising money for two new trim trails, and we’ve already raised £17,000 to buy the fi rst one.’
In with the new Some may dismiss morris dancers
and view folk traditions as outdated activities with little relevance to modern life. But the essence of folk culture is about celebrating the people and looking ahead. Les is keen to emphasise: ‘Folk traditions are living,
DOWNLOAD a folklore map of the South Downs southdowns
forall.org.uk/ folklore-map
evolving practices, not simply repetitive actions; they may carry the traces of history, but at the same time they are constantly being made anew.’ Chris adds: ‘Some folklore stories and beliefs diminish and are forgotten, while others evolve and change and entirely new ones emerge.’ For instance, costumes worn in the Lewes Bonfi re parades have evolved over the years to refl ect the values of a shifting society; Angeline has composed traditional-sounding songs that are new interpretations of the lives of historic Black Britons on her album The Sorrow Songs (
angelinemorrisonmusic.com/ music); The Friends of Castle Hill School hope to establish the Brockworth 3 Peaks challenge as a new tradition, further embedding the school within the community. The potential for fundraising,
along with the opportunity to make local history come alive and connect with the community, means that folk traditions can serve as rich resources for PTAs and schools.
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