Gloucestershire Cheese-Rolling Tradition Comes to County Care Home for Second Year

Stratton Court retirement village and care home in Cirencester, is bringing back its wonderfully whacky Gloucestershire cheese-rolling event for a second year, and this time anyone can enter.

The great cheese chase will take place on Saturday 12 September 2026, when residents, relatives, staff, local families and members of the public will be invited to throw themselves into the action and race down Stratton Court’s specially constructed three-metre cheese-rolling ramp.

And there’s something for everyone, with a children’s category, adult races and a special category for guests, meaning you don’t have to be a resident of Stratton Court to get involved.

Forget Coopers Hill and the famous nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester – this is the Cotswolds’ rather more manageable version. Competitors will be chasing Babybel cheeses down the purpose-built slope, complete with artificial grass, rocks and miniature trees creating a miniature Gloucestershire obstacle course.

It may not be quite the same as hurtling down Coopers Hill – but the aim is identical: get to the bottom first and claim cheese-rolling glory. The event proved a huge hit when Stratton Court staged its inaugural competition, attracting residents, families, staff and local visitors, with last year’s VIP spectators including the Mayor of Cirencester and then High Sheriff of Gloucestershire Julie Kent MBE.

There will also be plenty of traditional Gloucestershire fare to keep competitors and spectators fuelled, including Old Spot sausage baps and cider, while winners in each category will have the chance to take home a wheel of traditional Gloucestershire cheese supplied by Smart’s Traditional Gloucestershire Cheese, whose cheese is also associated with the famous Coopers Hill event.

Peter Lloyd, Director of Stratton Court and Aura Care Living, said: “Last year we discovered that you don’t need a nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester or a very steep hill to create a proper Gloucestershire spectacle! The response from our residents, families, staff and the local community was fantastic, so we simply had to bring the cheese rolling back.

“This year we want to make it even more inclusive, so anyone can enter – from children to adults and our own residents and guests. It’s completely bonkers, brilliantly British and a great excuse for different generations to come together, have a laugh and enjoy a proper Gloucestershire day out.

“We’re expecting some serious competition, particularly from last year’s winner, who will no doubt be keen to defend his title. The question is whether anyone can stop him, or whether the cheese will once again prove too slippery to catch.”

The event will take place at Stratton Court, Cirencester, on Saturday 12 September 2026, with entry open to residents, families, guests and members of the public. The first race will be at 12:30pm.

“So, whether you’re eight or eighty, a seasoned cheese chaser or someone who simply enjoys the prospect of throwing themselves down a ramp in pursuit of a Babybel, Stratton Court wants you on the starting line,” said home manager, Jared Mein.