This picture is of Edie Quick, mother of Fenella Gray, Jenny and Ken and wife to John.John along with Paul Bovington was a founder member of the SPAJERS.

Donkey Derby 2007 organised by the SPAJERS and held in Sandfords Field on August Bank Holiday Monday each. The money raised while having fun is to make sure Bampton's pensioners have fun

Article by Miranda Norris, entitled "Bampton's annual Donkey Derby is a runaway success"
Children race donkeys around a field as a much-loved village tradition on bank holiday Monday.
The donkey derby in Bampton is run by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Junketing (SPAJERS), which was formed in 1953 and also runs the village's famous shirt race. Children aged eight and above and weighing under eight stone are allowed to ride the donkeys with a donkey welfare officer in attendance.There are eight races, with six donkeys in each. Each race is sponsored by a local business, and the donkeys are sponsored by villagers.
All proceeds from the event go to events and trips for Bampton's senior citizens.
Visitors to Sandford's Field also tried their hand at games such as crockery smashing and Splat the Rat, while children not keen on donkey racing enjoyed pinning the tail on one.

Original Flyer for the Donkey Derby organised by the SPAJERS and held on August Bank Holiday in the Sandfords Field

Programme and photographs of the 2022 Donkey Derby held in the Sandford Field August Bank Holiday This is organised by the SPAJERS and generates funds for the Senior Citizens of Bampton and Lew.
Local Companies sponsor the races and the donkeys are ridden by children There are also stalls selling local crafts and produce.

Donkey Derby 2019

The 46th Donkey Derby took place in 2015. The afternoon's fun is organised by the SPAJERS (Society for The Preservation of Ancient Junketing) to raise funds to treat Bampton's senior citizens and at the same time provide fun for everyone

Edith Susan Quick nee Sheppard died on September 10th 2020. Edie came from a Bampton family of several generations. Her husband John was the principal founder member of the SPAJERS, our charity which creates fun events to raise funds for local senior citizens. They include the Shirt Race, Donkey Derby, Josie's Grand Draw and in conjunction with Bampton's fire brigade a wonderful bonfire and firework night. In the past there have been balls in Weald Manor.

The pandemic of covid-19 affected every aspect of the lives of people all around the world and the fun over the whole Bank Holiday weekend in Bampton should have started with the Shirt Race on Saturday May 23rd which had to be cancelled and the day of Morris Dancing on Monday May 25th, which, as you will see below, just managed to maintain an unbroken tradition of 102 years. There would normally have been many spontaneous music sessions in our pubs as well but the pubs are closed because of the virus. There would also have been a competition to see which group of children could make the best flower garland and one family made sure there was a garland to be seen and it was place in the west porch of St Mary's church, because the church is locked because of the virus.

The last time there was no Morris Dancing at all at Whitsun in Bampton was 1918. The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, moved this bank holiday to the last Monday in May, following a trial period of this arrangement from 1965 to 1970.

Here in Bampton our dancers were determined not to have another year like 1918 and so three different pairs of dancers from squire Craig Godwin's side danced a jig, one in New Road, another outside Churchgate and the third one outside their headquarters of The Romany. A pair from Laurence Adams side danced outside the Church gates also. No times were published so a crowd did not gather.

Keith Chandler took the photographs and Jamie Wheeler posted the following on Memories of Bampton.

"In 1960 Bampton Morris didn't have a musician. Reg Hall came to the rescue. In 2020, 60 (yes 60!!) years later Bampton Morris didn't have a musician (albeit for very different reasons). Reg Hall came to the rescue. Let no-one ever doubt the debt we owe to Reg (and don't forget Rod Stradling either). Reg would, of course, be the first to admit that it is a double edged sword and that he has gained plenty from it too in the form of fun and friendship. Roy Shergold once said to me that he (Roy) had taken more out of the Morris than he had ever put in. I don't think that was particularly true of Roy. It certainly isn't of Reg. Thank you!!"

When Keith Chandler sent me these photographs he wrote the following:-

"There was some morris dancing today, and you could see it as long as you knew the when and where in advance. Two-man jigs only. Matthew Green didn't turn a set out at all. Craig Godwin's side did three stands, two dancers at the first (New Road), a different pair at second (Church Gates) and third (outside The Romany). Lawrence Adams' side did one stand only (Church Gates), himself and his son Jonathan. So, a handful of jigs as a token gesture to maintain continuity. The last time there was no public performance was 1918. Hopefully, things will be back to normal next year."