What is the Oxenhope Straw Race??
The Oxenhope Straw Race takes place every summer in the Pennine village of Oxenhope, near Keighley. It was started by two men who, made a bet about racing from one pub to the next carrying a bale of straw.
It has gone from strength to strength, raising around £300,000 to date. The money is raised by teams collecting sponsorship for completing the course, often in fancy dress, whilst carrying a bale of straw and visiting each of the local pubs in the village. It is great day out with a real carnival atmosphere!
The sponsorship money is collected in by the Straw Race committee, and in November it is distributed to local charities. Various other fundraising events take place throughout the year to add to the total money raised.