Shrewsbury Wacky Races could be in the running for award

Shrewsbury Wacky Races is a Soapbox Derby-style event that saw teams build soapbox and hurtle themselves down a hill in the Shrewsbury Quarry.

Over 17,000 people came to see the spectacle with over £20,000 being raised for a variety of charities.

The event will be back in Shrewsbury next May and earlier this year Sarah Belcher Events, the company behind the event, was a finalist for Shropshire Business Chamber Awards as Best New Business. The company has now been shortlisted for a NOEA award (National Outdoor Events Association) for best new outdoor event in the UK.

Sarah will be competing against three other events in the category of Best New Event: Vibration Festival, Night at the Abbey and Balloons on the Beach.

The award ceremony takes place late November in the city of Bath.

Sarah Belcher, said: “We are delighted to be shortlisted for this award and just so grateful to the business and people of Shrewsbury, Shropshire and beyond for all the support they have given us over the past year.”

Susan Tanner, NOEA’s chief executive, said: “This year again saw an increase in entries, and the quality of the submissions was also very high. Because of this we had a longer finalist list, and it’s been a real challenge for our judges to decide on the three or four shortlisted in each category.”

Alistair Turner, chair of the judging panel and managing director, EIGHT PR & Marketing, added: “The entries were again incredibly strong this year and shows our industry in really good health. We’ve been particular impressed by the increase in entries from the public sector, as well as a host of new and innovative supplier businesses.

“It is a huge achievement for those shortlisted today and we look forward to seeing who is named as winners in November.”

NOEA is the UK’s leading outdoor events trade association, representing outdoor event professionals across government, business, and through specialised areas such as policing and local government policy.