Help Us Build the Clifford's Mesne Cup!
A new village challenge for the Classic Car Show

Image note: The stall image above is an AI-generated concept image created using ChatGPT. It is based on prompts developed as part of the design process for this event. It is intended to illustrate the idea rather than show the final stall, game and prizes.

Event Details

This August we’re hoping to create and prepare something a little different for the September 6th Classic Car Show – The Clifford’s Mesne Cup: Dig, Build & Race Challenge.

It’s a new fundraising activity being developed by the village, and we’d love some help to make it happen.

What’s the Clifford’s Mesne Cup?

Competitors will race against the clock to:
  1. Dig through a box to find the hidden pieces of a Duplo car.
  2. Build their car as quickly as possible.
  3. Place it at the top of our specially built race track.
  4. Release it – no pushing!
  5. See if they can beat the fastest time on the leaderboard.
The clock runs from the moment the competitor starts searching until their car crosses the finish line.

We’ll have different age categories, a live leaderboard throughout the day and, at the end of the show, our fastest racers will receive Clifford’s Mesne Cup trophies together with motoring-themed prizes.

Most importantly, it should be great fun to take part in – and to watch!

We need a village team

Rather than leaving everything to the Village Hall committee, we’d like to put together a small team of people from around Clifford’s Mesne to help us build and run the challenge.

To join the team, email Mima via   jpj@icbp.org

You don’t need to join a committee and you don’t need to do everything. If there’s one particular job you’d enjoy helping with, that’s absolutely fine.

We’d particularly love to hear from people who could help with things such as:

  • Building the race track – we have some timber already, but need people who are handy with woodworking and construction.
  • Finding Duplo – we’re looking for second-hand Duplo vehicle parts and bricks that we can use to make several identical racing cars, together with plenty of spares.
  • Building the leaderboard stand and stall – including signs, decorations and perhaps a motoring-themed backdrop.
  • Finding prizes – approaching local garages, motor factors, businesses and others who might be willing to donate or sponsor suitable prizes.
  • Finding materials – perhaps you know a local business that could donate materials.
  • Helping set up and pack away on the day.
  • Running the challenge – taking entries, timing competitors, resetting the cars, updating the leaderboard and generally helping to create a bit of excitement.
  • Helping for an hour or two – you don’t have to commit to the whole day. A rota of volunteers would make things much easier for everyone.

And if you have another skill, contact or idea that might help, we’d love to hear it. In which case, please email Mima via jpj@icbp.org.

Raising money for our village

The Clifford’s Mesne Cup is being organised as a community fundraising activity, initially in support of Clifford’s Mesne Village Hall.

We would also be very pleased to involve volunteers from St Peter’s Church, Clifford’s Mesne, with the possibility of funds raised being shared between the Village Hall and the church according to the support and involvement each provides.

So whether your connection is with the Village Hall, the church, both or simply Clifford’s Mesne itself, you’re very welcome to get involved.

Could you help?

This is the first year we’ve tried anything like this, so we’re starting with a simple idea and seeing what the village can create together.

Whether you have some old Duplo in the loft, practical skills to offer, useful local contacts or simply an hour or two to spare on the day, we’d love to hear from you.

Interested in helping? Please email Mima via jpj@icbp.org and let us know what you’d like to do.

Let’s build it, race it – and see who takes home the first Clifford’s Mesne Cup!

Image note: The stall image above is an AI-generated concept image created using ChatGPT, based on prompts developed as part of the design process for this event. It is intended to illustrate the idea rather than show the final stall.