The Next Generation

It is said that in 1445 an Olney woman heard the bells of St Peter & St Paul ringing out for the Shriving service that she, like all the good women of Olney, should attend to confess her sins before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The woman panicked and dashed out of the house (still carrying her pan with pancake in it and wearing her apron) and ran to the Church.

Women who have lived in Olney, Buckinghamshire, for at least six months still follow in her footsteps and race to the Church in the Pancake Race every Shrove Tuesday at 11.55 a.m when the main road is closed to traffic. The pancake must be tossed once at the beginning, once in the middle, and once at the end of the race.

From about 10.30 am, the children of the town (boys as well as girls) practice for the next generation of races and although we took many shots of the actual race, it was the children's determination to do well that we chose to blip today.