Get your water wings on because the annual Clayton Vale duck race is almost on us.

Proper water racing ducks (who’d have thought it?) are being readied for the Clayton Vale Quacky duck race on Saturday 10th April. The event starts at 1pm and goes on till 3.30pm.

It’s run by the Friends of Clayton Vale and they seem to get great weather every year. Let’s hope the snow we had this week doesn’t return and slow the ducks down.

There are at least two races for the ducks and the winner gets something. What, I don’t know! Probably a lolly…

You register your duck at a table near the Clayton Vale centre (at Edge Lane, Clayton, Manchester) then wait in eager anticipation for the ducks to be cruelly dropped from the bridge over the river Medlock.

The banks are lined with people urging the small yellow plastic ducks to swim harder, faster or to just mind the banks.

I’m not quite sure if I’m wacky for doing the shouting or the Friends are for continuing to put on such a fun afternoon.

Try it, I recommend it.

But hey just keep off my lucky duck (number 14) he’s going to win this year I just feel it in my bones.

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Yes folks, it’s that time of year again when thoughts turn to racing ducks.

Once again Clayton Vale plays host to a fiercely contested duck race where the ducks are dropped off the bridge near the Clayton Vale visitors centre and sent down the river to be captured further along.

The event is on tomorrow (18th April) and involves racing ducks, face painting and other fun stuff. As usual I will be in attendance with one, two or maybe the whole brood of children.

We’ll buy the services of one or more ducks in the vain hope that this year our duck gets the coveted winners laurels.

We’re hoping this lovely weather continues so we can also grab some sun as we watch the titanic ducky struggles.

If you see me say hello!

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Clayton Vale played host to a fun run today. Diane Modhal, the Auckland Commonwealth Games 800 metre gold medal winner had a hectic weekend as she kindly started the Clayton Vale Fun Run.

The course wasn’t that hard and anyone who’s walked around the famed Clayton Vale Halloween Howler event would have had little or no difficulty in finishing the course and getting their medal.

The weather was just right for a run, or in some cases a toddle. Not too warm, a slight breeze and a bit of sun.

After the run we went to the visitors centre and two of my daughters had their faces painted. Well actually one had her face painted (a nice bright pink butterfly). The other had her arm painted with a lovely climbing pink flower.

There was some disappointment that the event lacked a bouncy castle! However, I felt that was  more than offset by the free crafts that people could have a go at after their successful run.

Well done to all who took part and the organisers who managed to do a good job of making sure everything started pretty much on time.

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The Friends of Clayton Park held a “Fun Day” for kids at Clayton Park and Clayton Hall. And the weather was lovely and sunny.

Maybe that’s why they got less people than they did last year. Perhaps everyone had the urge, lemming-like, to leap into their cars and rush for the seaside, or Blackpool.

Whatever the reason a much increased and roomier event was not as busy as last years.

And that was a great shame because the really popular obstacle course was longer and more interesting. The crafts kids could take part in were more extensive. Of course the bouncy castle and slides were also there for kids to go on.

And to round it all off the Fire Brigade turned up to show interested children around and let them see what was in a fire engine.

The event also had a rather nice little cafe, set next to Clayton Hall where I went for a relaxing cup of tea.

For the next event I’ll provide a few weeks warning through a blog posting so you’ll know to go along.

The next event at Clayton Vale – a completely different location but run by some of the same friends – is the Halloween Howler. Nearly 2,000 people came for a scary walk through the Vale last year. And again I’ll give you a few weeks notice so you can polish up your pitchfork and lantern.

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This post is well overdue as the Quacky Races I’m talking about were over a couple of weeks ago when Manchester was basking in unusually clement and sunny weather. The event was held at Clayton Vale a pleasantly landscaped and reclaimed council rubbish tip from decades ago.

The Friends of Clayton Vale had organised a duck race, with side shows and the opportunity to pig out in the cafe.

Myself and assorted daughters turned up and put our names down for the first ducks. We then retired to the assault course to see how quickly the three of them could run down a bench, hop through tyres, scoot under a giant crawling net, leap through a converted wheelie bin and arrive breathless at the finish.

The course became a must go to for almost every child that came to watch their duck get trounced by the eventual winner, who I’m sure had an outboard motor under one wing as he was so far in front of his rivals.

You may have guessed that our own ducks failed to make the grade and didn’t even get a place. Still we all had a great time and there were a bunch of people there who were obviously enjoying themselves making sure to encourage their ducks with loud quacks and cheers.

As well as the vital cafe and sweetie shop there were also simple fairground games that were manned by volunteers and where everyone seemed to win something.

All in all it was a very pleasant way to spend a sunny and warm Thursday.

And anyway, I’ve stopped brooding on our loss at the Quacky races this year.

I’m looking forward to the re-match next year. Does anyone know where I can get a professional yellow duck as a ringer?

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Clayton Vale Friends group won a top award earlier this week in an awards ceremony held at the newly restored Gorton Monastery.

The Friends won the 2007 award for the “The Best Friends Group” and that’s down to their hardwork, dedication and the fact that they get an amazing turnout for their events.

Tonight they held their Halloween Howler where people were scared out of their wits by an army of about 30 to 40 volunteers whose faces were painted and enacted grisly scenes or jumped out at you.

At the end of a very successful night the “counter” said she’d counted over 1,000 people attending the event, an increase of 200 over last years Halloween Howler event.

The general murmur seemed to be that people enjoyed the event. In fact I heard one group say that this was the third time they’d come to this event. And then one piped up that this was their first and they’d really enjoyed it.

When I went into the greatly extended visitors centre I could see they’d sold vast amounts of cakes (made up as ghosts, spiders, eyeballs and spiders webs) along with cups of tea, orange and assorted soft drinks.

The event is not actually planned to make money, there’s no charge to attend, but I could see that the Friends will have made quite a bit that will go into making further events even better.

So well done Friends of Clayton Vale and I look forward to the next event.

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