Stratford area schools hit the races for Pancake Day
People across the country observed Pancake Day on Shrove Tuesday and pupils at many Stratford area schools took part in the traditional pancake races.
The entire school at Stratford Primary took part in the traditional Pancake Day races as it created a house event.
The races were separated into four houses – Arden, Hall, Hathaway and Shakespeare – who all competed against each other. There were winning houses for each race and they had points awarded for fastest times and then it was all added together for the overall house winner.
Hall won with 400 points, Hathaway 2nd with 300 points, Arden third with 200 points and Shakespeare 4th with 100 points.
Gill Humphriss, headteacher of Stratford Primary School, said: “The children had a fabulous time racing and flipping pancakes. We like to teach the children about traditions all around the world and Shrove Tuesday is an important part of our culture. The children learnt about Lent and the history of Shrove Tuesday. We wanted to hold a house team event and link it to sport and this was an excellent way of developing team spirit.”
Pupils and teachers both took part in the pancake races at Acorns and Shipston Primary Schools too. Mrs Hannah Young’s team won the teacher’s race at Acorns Primary.
Alcester Town also held pancake races up the high street, during which included a by three local clergy for the first time.
Pancake Day and its races form a key part of the Shrove Tuesday celebrations as a chance for large numbers of people, often in fancy dress, to race down streets tossing pancakes. The object of the race is to get to the finishing line first, carrying a frying pan with a cooked pancake and flipping the pancake as you run.
Pancake Day is also one last chance for a big party before Lent begins the next day on Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter, a date which changes every year.
It originates from Christians who traditionally had used up all the eggs and fat they had in store by making pancakes and feasting on them. This was because when Lent came, they would eat less food, or even fast (do without food sometimes) to help them focus on God and not on the things they wanted.
