In 2003, the event had to be cancelled at short notice due to an earthquake in Algeria!

Following the cancellation of the Cheese Rolling in 1978, due to "bureaucratic constraints related to public safety"  The committee enlisted the services of the Gloucestershire based search and rescue organisation, SARAID to assist St. John Ambulance personnel by moving possible casualties safely off the precipitous hill for treatment. 

Unfortunately, during May 2003 there was an earthquake in Algeria which needed the emergency help of the search-and -rescue team. Without their presence, the St. John team had to withdraw their services at short notice (3 days!) and the committee was forced once more to cancel the event.

BBC News Coverage of the Earthquake in Algeria, the search for survivors is called off!

*Three times in recent years, the public event has been cancelled:

1998 - The police had been very concerned by the number of injuries (most of them fairly minor) that were reported the previous year. The following statement was issued to the press on Tuesday 19^th. May, (the week before the Bank holiday) by the Cheese Roll Committee:

2001 - A widespread outbreak of 'Foot-and-mouth' disease lead to the near 'closure' of the countryside. The public was advised not to visit rural areas and even locals were not walking on the hill. It was therefore impossible to hold the event.

2003 - SARAID were unavailable at short notice due to an earthquake in Algeria during May 2003 which required the assistance of the search-and -rescue team. Without their presence, the St. John team had to withdraw their services at short notice (3 days!) and the committee was forced once more to cancel the event.

However ... on each of these occasions a single cheese has been rolled by the committee, to maintain the tradition.

Some spectators, unaware of the cancellation still arrived at Coopers Hill and the result was traffic chaos.

Even "Elvis" lent a hand to direct the traffic and try to organise things!

An unknown local "poet" got to work on the "Race Cancelled" sign on the hill, 

adding his / her own contribution to this unique day
There was to be a Cheese Rolling on the day after all it would seem!

......Not the official race, but an impromptu race by a few intrepid souls determined that the tradition would continue, unbroken on time and on Cheese Rolling day!

Then, at the appointed hour, the race began, 


The Cheese (actually a yellow ball), was rolled and almost as quickly the competitors ran, slid and tumbled down the famous hill, following it!

When the committee rolled a single cheese a few days later, crowds still lined the hill, well not so many.......

but then everyone would have a good view, which is not always the case at a "normal" Cheese Rolling on the hill.

The Committee used one of the cheeses that had been ordered (too late to stop the order)
and afterwards, they sold the other three, with the proceeds going to charity.

The Committee also had a beer-and-cheese evening - the origin of that cheese is not recorded!

 Joint winners of the Committee Cheese Rolling, were Amelia and Verity Hardwick, 

(daughters of the local farmer who provides the car-park)

Happily, no injuries were sustained and the services of the St. John's Ambulance crew were not needed on this occasion

SARAID were, of course hard at work, valiantly contributing their essential skills to the Earthquake rescue efforts in Algeria.
 
SARAID are ever ready to fly out at very short notice, to any human disaster anywhere in the world. They are a totally voluntary, non governmental organisation, supported by donations. Their work, as is the case with the other emergency aid organisations, is essential during the first few hours after a disaster, when their skills at locating injured and trapped survivors of the initial disaster will save countless lives. It is often the case in disasters, that the local infrastructure and systems break down and local government and officials in the immediate vicinity are overwhelmed. Outside assistance therefore is vital particularly in the first few hours

Please visit the SARAID web site for more information on the organisation and its works, here you can also make a donation to assist their efforts

SARAID - Search And Rescue Assistance In Disasters

           (Photos © J.J.)

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