Summary / objectives

The Great Bungay Duck Race is the flagship fundraising event for the Falcon Meadow Community Trust.  In 2020, we feared we would have to cancel due to physical distancing restrictions, but we chose instead to go virtual, and offer people the chance to buy their ticket online at www.falconmeadow.org.uk and stream footage of the race directly to their homes. The Duck Race is the biggest event in our town each year, and something of a local institution – we wanted to show people that even in times of adversity we would still find a way to make it happen.

Background

The Falcon Meadow Community Trust is a tiny charity based in Bungay, Suffolk.  We own and manage one of the region’s last remaining water meadows, which was ‘saved’ in 2015 when the people of our town gave and loaned money in order to purchase it.  We aim to make the Meadow a place that people and wildlife can enjoy and balance our work between events (the duck race, a dog show, sleep-outs) and conservation (working parties, wildflower walks, bird-ringing demonstrations).  After just five years, the Meadow is held firmly in the affections of everyone in the town and the annual Duck Race has become the most hotly anticipated event of the Bungay social calendar.

Creator / originator

The trailer was vaguely conceptualised by Laura Myatt, and given life and humour and digital brilliance by Kit Ballantyne.

Special characteristics

We wanted to make a trailer that would lay the ground work for the Duck Race film itself. The below was Falcon Meadow’s first foray into video work.

Influence / impact

In the first 24 hours of the trailer going live, our ticket sales doubled.

Costs

Free – Falcon Meadow is run entirely by volunteers and we rely on good will and enthusiasm.

Results

With 527 ducks in the race, Falcon Meadow raised a wonderful £1,234 from supporters participating in their completely virtual duck race.

Merits

The Falcon Meadow Community Trust is grassroots fundraising at its best. After five years we have a bedrock of loyal support in our community. We are comprised entirely of volunteers, many of whom work full time in other roles and who squeeze in Meadow related work in early mornings and evenings. We do it for the love of nature and the good of our community. 

Our duck race trailer sums up our determination to succeed in the face of adversity with the humour and quirkiness that has established the Great Bungay Duck Race as a local institution. Both the trailer and the race videos were made with no budget and shared by people out of enthusiasm, not duty. 

Official race video

Please take six minutes and watch this brilliant race video created by the volunteers. It is a wonderful record of a great day for this small charity.