Gloucestershire Tradition Of Cheese Rolling Comes To County Care Home

Residents, families, locals and staff of a Cotswold care home and retirement village took part in a race down a steep hill to chase wheels of cheese.

However, it was not the famous Coopers Hill outside Gloucestershire but a purpose built three metre ramp and the cheese was not a giant single Gloucester wheel, but Babybels.

Gloucestershire Day has not been celebrated since 2023 but this did not stop Aura Care Living’s Stratton Court, in Cirencester, coming up with their own whacky idea that could involve all generations.

The village, in Stratton, Cirencester, began the day with cheildrens races before residents and others joined in and with various heats. The hill, ramp, had even been decorated with astroturf, rocks and little trees, as obstacles to the rolling red cheese.

The event, also involved the Poppy Appeal, the villages charity of the year, Sue Ryder. Cider, Old Spot sausage baps, were also available to celebrate all things Gloucestershire.

“It was opened by Cirencester Mayor Sarah Orr, and High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, Julie Kent MBE, so a big thanks to them,” said Stratton Court director – Peter Lloyd.

“The cheese from the official suppliers of the cheese rolling, Smarts, as well as Jesse Smith’s, for the pre- event photo, so local companies have been amazing. Residents, families, and members of the public joined in, it was great fun. Congrats to Steve Mackay, a husband of one of our residents, who came through all the rounds to be the eventual winner, he is already planning how to defend his title next year.”