| Profile : Rich Fisher | Rich Fisher is an Mapperley lad who supports the mighty Reds (no, not Liverpool). As a teenager he co-wrote and edited, with his bother Alan, Reds fanzine 'Forest Forever'. He's written a stack of articles for us and pulled allsorts of stunts e.g getting mistaken for a member of the Polyphonic Spree. If you have any ideas of odd tasks Rich could try please let us know... |
In this country, we have always used Bank Holidays as the perfect excuse to have a barbeque, do a spot of DIY, or simply go on an all-day drinking session. | "I couldn’t help but wonder if my life insurance policy would cover a cheese race-related death!" | | Rich Fisher |
But for this year’s Whitsun Bank Holiday, I opted instead to do something a bit different. I decided to represent Nottinghamshire in one of the UK’s most infamous sporting events – the Gloucester cheese race! Big Cheese For those who aren’t familiar with the race, it’s an annual tradition that dates back centuries. Each year, the event attracts hundreds of entrants, who launch themselves down a very steep hill in pursuit of a giant ‘wheel’ of Double Gloucester – with the first person to the bottom getting to keep the cheese! Having seen the curious spectacle on TV in previous years, it’s something that’s fascinated me for some time… and so this year, my brother Al and I decided to (literally) take the plunge and head to Gloucester. Our aim was to win the cheese for Nottinghamshire… and having had the proud boast during my childhood of being one of the few kids who could actually skateboard standing up down Mapperley’s notoriously steep Marshall Hill Drive, I was quietly confident that I’d be able to conquer Gloucester’s Coopers Hill.
 | | The incredibly steep Coopers Hill... |
But when we arrived and saw the hill for real, I soon realised that I’d maybe underestimated the challenge that lay ahead! Though I’d obviously seen Coopers Hill on TV, it really does have to be seen for real to be believed. It’s pretty much a sheer drop of approximately 200 metres, with countless ruts hidden in the long grass. Just climbing to the top was hard work – and with signs dotting the paths issuing the warning that ‘competitors take part at their own risk’, I couldn’t help but wonder if my life insurance policy would cover a cheese race-related death! But eventually we made it… and duly waited in the sunshine for our moment to come. Endearingly, the organisation of the race is actually quite amateurish. Roll the Cheese! Far from having to register months in advance like you do with the London Marathon, taking part in the Gloucester cheese race simply involves turning up at the top of the hill on the day. And though a few security stewards dotted around gave a certain sense of crowd control, it all suddenly descended into a bit of a free-for-all when the time came for the race - with much shoving and jostling taking place among competitors to get prime positions. By this point, excitement the among thousands of spectators was at fever pitch, with frenzied chants of “Roll the cheese! Roll the cheese!” And as the cheese-bearers made their way through the throng of competitors, I managed to reach out and touch the metal trunk containing the hallowed ‘wheel’ of Double Gloucester.
 | | Rich displays his injuries. |
Sadly though, this proved to be the nearest that I would get to it! Indeed, the next few seconds are a bit of a blur. Following the cry of “Go!”, all I really remember is losing my footing after seemingly just a few yards, doing a few forward rolls, and then skidding down about half of the hill on my backside! I then managed to get on my feet again – and duly managed to stagger down to the finishing line at the bottom of the hill, where I was ‘caught’ by a well-placed member of the St John’s Ambulance team on duty on the day. Needless to say, I didn’t win… and neither did Al. But nevertheless, it was a truly exhilarating experience - so much so that it took me quite some time to actually notice that I’d gained numerous bruises and a nasty gash on my back! What’s more, I was left covered in mud and grass stains - although it could’ve been far, far worse. The winner of the race, Chris Anderson, was actually hospitalised immediately afterwards with a broken ankle! Amusingly, his hard-earned ‘wheel’ of cheese remained firmly in his grasp as he was stretchered away… So overall, an immensely entertaining day out. Makes you wonder why Nottinghamshire hasn’t got a strange annual tradition to rival the cheese race. Perhaps it’s time for someone to invent one?! | 
