A charity raft race for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute’s (RNLI) could be axed this year after marshals revolted over ‘verbal abuse’ from spectators.
Last year, people in the crowd hurled insults at members of the Derbyshire 4×4 Response team when they were asked not to throw things at participants in fancy dress.
Organisers are now scrambling to find more volunteers to meet safety regulations and avoid having to cancel the event altogether.
Audience members at the Boxing Day race in Matlock, Derbyshire, have been known to throw eggs and bags of flour during previous races with participants often returning fire with water pistols.
However, organisers have warned the race could be shut down forever if people continue to throw food.
Chairman of Derbyshire 4×4 Response Mike Whittingham said the volunteer organisation had already dialled back its support in 2024 because of limited volunteer availability.
He explained how the volunteer organisation’s ‘primary purpose’ is to support the emergency services and local communities which means many of their core responders are usually pre-occupied elsewhere.
They previously relied on friends and family members to step in for those who could not attend for this reason.
Mr Whittingham told The Telegraph: ‘Unfortunately, last year saw a noticeable increase in verbal abuse and threats directed at our volunteers while they attempted to prevent spectators from throwing objects at the rafts.
Audience members at the Boxing Day race in Matlock, Derbyshire, have been known to throw eggs and bags of flour during previous races with participants often returning fire with water pistols (Pictured: The Matlock Boxing Day Raft Race 2016)
The Royal National Lifeboat Institute’s (RNLI) charity raft race could be axed this year after marshals revolted over ‘verbal abuse’ from spectators (Pictured: The Matlock Boxing Day Raft Race 2016)
‘Our members give up their Boxing Day to support what should be a safe, family-friendly event, and we felt it was neither fair nor safe to continue exposing our responders, or their families, to that kind of behaviour.’
Mr Whittingham said the volunteer group and organisers are discussing continuing its involvement in a more limited capacity particularly concerning car-park management and traction assistance.
Organisers have taken to social media with hopes of finding 20 to 25 marshals to fill all points on the route.
A spokesman for the event told The Telegraph: ‘Currently, we have about half the number we need, but are hoping for more.’
Teams build their own rafts and wear quirky matching costumes whilst navigating an obstacles course with a weir, rapids, and a slalom.
Last year saw 117 rafters take to the course in 21 rafts with decorations including a tank, Santa’s sleigh, a Type 1X U-boat, the nativity, a pirate ship, a chariot, roadworks, a tennis court, a Coca-Cola truck, a cricket square and an Elton John concert.
The tradition was started by scuba-diving friends who wanted to something to do in the winter, and has raised more than £150,000 since it started, with last year’s event raising £3,393.
In 2022, head organiser Stephen Eyres said bad behaviour was putting the whole race at risk.
He told the BBC: ‘We can’t have people going nuts and chucking stuff about. If anyone gets hurt, that’s the kind of thing that could get us shut down. That is the last thing anyone wants.’
Teams build their own rafts and wear quirky matching costumes whilst navigating an obstacles course with a weir, rapids, and a slalom (Pictured: The Matlock Boxing Day Raft Race 2016)
The tradition was started by scuba-diving friends who wanted to something to do in the winter, and has raised more than £150,000 since it started, with last year’s event raising £3,393 (Pictured: The Matlock Boxing Day Raft Race 2016)
Organisers have warned the race could be shut down forever if people continue to throw food (Pictured: The Matlock Boxing Day Raft Race 2016)
A Matlock Raft Race spokesperson confirmed several instances of verbal abuse had been reported at the last race.
He said: ‘I haven’t experienced this sort of behaviour in the past and obviously found it very disappointing.
‘We put appeals out each year on Facebook and via our website asking people not to throw but it appears some were throwing and took offence when told to stop.’
He said marshals will be told to avoid entering into arguments with spectators this year and instead call the police if crowds launch objects.
The Daily Mail has approached the RNLI for comment.
