Donkey Derby called off again as Lions Club mitigates risk

FEARS of Covid ramifications has led the Lions Club to cancel the Donkey Derby, which was due to take place later this month.

The halcyon days of the Donkey Derby a decade ago. The fundraising event has been cancelled for the second year in a row after the Lions Club, which organises it, decided to play safe because the donkeys and their grooms would have to come from the UK. (29843075)

It is the second year that the popular event, which usually attracts a crowd of around 3,000 people, has been cancelled due to the pandemic.

Lions Club and Donkey Derby organising committee member John McLoughlin said that there were too many variables beyond the organisers’ control to run the event as planned.

‘We have been keeping a very close eye on the ever-changing situation due to Covid, especially in regard to bringing the donkeys and their grooms over from England, and have very reluctantly decided that it’s safer for all concerned to cancel this year’s event.’

Mr McLoughlin explained that, while restrictions were easing locally and in the UK, there was a risk that one of the grooms could test positive on arrival and the Lions Club would have to pay for accommodation of both the grooms and the donkeys for two weeks.

‘There has been a lot to consider and we really didn’t want to cancel, but it was the most sensible thing to do.

‘The Donkey Derby raises funds for local charities and there was a risk we’d have to spend money unnecessarily.

‘We will be looking to bring the donkeys back again next year as we really do not want to lose our long-standing event from the Guernsey summer calendar.’

Sponsors of the event are being offered refunds.