Ready to Roll in Bluff

Bluff will become the Cheese Roll capital of New Zealand on Sunday 20 September when the New Zealand Red Cross holds the first ever Southland Cheese Roll down Bluff’s Lee Street.

It will be a heap of fun and anyone can enter. All you need to do is come up with a contraption, either one you have built or a ready-made one such as a skateboard or roller skate or similar, that can carry a cube of cheese (2cm 3) that will be supplied by Red Cross. There are rules governing the contraption, including the fact that gravity is the only method allowed to propel it downhill.

Full rules are available at www.redcross.org.nz/cheese-roll There are sections for individuals (Babybels – 12 & under, Mature – 13 & over for kids and adults plus a section for groups, corporates and teams to be known as Platters). Individual entries are just $5 while the group/corporate entry is $50. Sign up online as there are no sign ups on the day.

All funds raised on the day will go to support vulnerable people affected by conflict, disaster and social isolation. While you help others there are more than $1400 of prizes up for grabs donated by Shark Experience Bluff, Adventure Southland, Real Journeys, the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival and others! To keep everyone safe on the day the road closure for the event has been generously donated by HWR Richardson Group.

Callum Clark, New Zealand Red Cross Humanitarian Development Engagement Manager Southland says, “whenever we tell anyone about the event, they usually firstly think we are selling cheese rolls. Here, we are racing contraptions carrying a small cube of cheese down Bluff Hill. It’s a bit of fun for a good cause. The contraptions don’t have to be complicated, a skateboard would do, though they do need a name and we encourage decorating. Half the challenge will be whether the devices can even make it all the way down the course, let alone winning. We’ve chosen a straight bit down Lee St so they can give it a good shot! We hope the event helps to foster connections in the community which are so critical in times of emergency. The money raised will go towards supporting vulnerable people in our communities.”

As some of the promotional material for the event says, take it (ch)easy, Mozza luck to you and have a gouda race!

The action begins at 11am on Sunday 20 September.