Cheese rolling festival looks for new sponsors

The organisers of an annual cheese rolling festival have been looking for sponsors to support the event.

More than 3,000 people were expected to attend the Stilton Cheese Rolling Festival at the Stilton Pavilion in the Cambridgeshire village, near Peterborough, on 24 May.

The free event, which began in the 1950s, returned in 2024 after a seven-year gap due to rising costs and the tradition no longer being seen as "cool", organisers said.

Adam Leon, one of the event's volunteers, said: "The donations are not critical, but it will help massively. It's going to be tight this year but we need the sponsorship help for the following year. But there's always a way forward I think."

"Everyone puts a heart and soul into it and it's a lovely family event," he added.

Leon said the event has "grown popular over the years", adding that this year a mascot called Charlie the Cheese will be a new addition to the festival.

The tradition was started in 1959 by four publicans who were thinking of ways to generate income after Stilton was bypassed by the A1, Leon previously said.

Preparations for this year's event, which will include artisan food stalls, an outside bar and a music festival, have been ongoing for six months.

Leon said the volunteer-led festival costs about £8,000 to run, which included event security, toilet hire and prizes.

He added: "It is a free event and we do have sponsorship from the councils and the lottery fund, everything, but there's been a few cutbacks, so it does make it a bit harder... but if anyone can help out, fantastic."

Huntingdonshire District Council said last year it supported the festival with a £2,500 award from the Huntingdonshire Futures Grant Scheme, which has now concluded.

A spokesperson for the authority said: "We recognise the value of these events as part of our place; we are not aware of the current status of this event. However, if the council is approached for assistance, we will endeavour to support where we can."

For years there has been an ongoing row about the origins of Stilton Cheese, as some historians claimed the cheese originated in the village that bears its name.

Since 1996 the cheese has borne European Protected Designation of Origin status, which means it can only be made in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

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