Simon Robinson, Partner, and Head of Commercial is away for a few days at Centre Parks with the family.
We thought we’d take the opportunity to tell you about the charity pram race, he has been entering every Summer for the past four years.
Oxted Pram Race has been running since 1977. Its aim is to raise as much money as possible for local causes, while providing a fun day out for kids and adults alike. Each Pram pays an entry fee for charity and teams also get sponsorship from family and friends to run the two-thirds of a mile from Master Park to The Bell in Old Oxted. The twist is, you have to stop at each of the pubs along the way, speed drinking one drink at each premise. There are various prizes and penalties, depending on how you do. Simon is, without a doubt, better at the drinking than the running.
And if you don’t fancy running the race, you can still bring your water pistol and show your support in that way!
Simon’s partner in crime for all the races has been Andy Parr M.B.E.
Andy is a Tandridge District Counsellor (Independent) and was awarded the M.B.E. for years of service to the local community.
Rumour has it, his first volunteer job, as a ten-year-old, was helping to serve hot dinners to the school infants – with the bonus being the chance for second helpings of pudding. Andy’s other volunteering includes Assistant Scout Commissioner, Caterham Festival Chairman, Caterham Carnival Committee Member, Round Table Member, and East Surrey Dial-A-Ride Company Secretary, to name but a few.
So, it was Andy that roped Simon into his first Oxted Pram Race in July 2015 when they dressed up as the Penguins of Madagascar. Simon’s daughter, Isla, who was not yet four at the time, was in love with those little critters and couldn’t have been more impressed by her daddy. And you’ll never believe it, but Simon and Andy won first place in the Adult Male category.
The following year, Simon, who together with his son Fraser, is a massive fan of all things aeronautical, suggested The Red Barrows as a theme. Simon says this decision led to his absolute favourite memory of the Pram Race – when Andy let off smoke flares to simulate the Red Arrows con-trails!
In 2017 Simon and Andy’s Ken & Barbie pram was once again a little on the girly side. Isla was in seventh heaven and it looks to us as if they borrowed her Barbie house for the day. Let’s hope they didn’t do any damage!
Which brings us to this year.
For a while this year it looked like there wouldn’t be a pram race, after the committee who had done such a magnificent job for the past 7 years, resigned. Everyone was greatly relieved, when Michael Brundle, Natalie Williams and Richard Newland stepped in and saved the event at the last minute.
Andy and a very proud Simon were delighted to be joined on the Parr’s Army pram by Simon’s son Fraser and his best friend Zack, for their first pram race. We’re not sure they made the leaderboard this year, but they had fun, and got a damned good dousing with the water pistols, en-route. Simon says, running the race with his son made it the best Pram Race ever!
We asked Simon why he keeps running this race, year after year, and he said it was because he loves “getting soaked, dressing up, the community spirit, the kids having fun, local business support, and innocent fun”. Almost certainly not in that order.
We’d like to offer our congratulations to Simon and Andy for supporting this wonderful charity event and especially to the local Rotary Club who run it each year and raise so much money for local charities.