A brief history on Robert Dover
Dover's Games and Dover's Hill, where The Games are held, are both named after Robert Dover, but why?
Robert Dover
Robert Dover was a lawyer from Norfolk, born, we think, in 1582. In around 1611 Dover came to live locally in nearby Saintbury, then he moved to Chipping Campden and on to Childswickham. All of these homes were within site of the hill which would eventually bear his name.
About a year after his arrival to the area Dover became involved in a traditional Cotswold Whitsuntide festivity which he went on to revitalise it with his own distinctive form of entertainment. It became an annual event which Dover himself oversaw for over 40 years. I wonder if he had any idea that 406 years later we would still be emulating his vision? It's thought that Dover's new revived games received support from local mercer Baptist Hicks.
Baptist Hicks
Hicks' was once one of the richest in England, he knew how to make money but he also knew how to spend it, he commissioned the Woolmarket Hall, The Almshouses and the original Campden House. In fact Hicks was so well moneyed he bankrolled James 1st!
Endymion Porter
Endymion Porter lived a stones throw away in Aston Sub Edge. He was a diplomat and a royalist, he held the post of Groom of the Bedchamber to Charles I. After the inauguration on the games Endymion privided patronage to Dover. Endymion was well connected with courtiers he is said to have supplied his mate Dover with some fine and dandy royal cast-offs to wear while he presided over The Games. Snazzy.
Reg Mansell and Charlie Ladbrook as Robert Dover and Endymion Porter
on horseback at Dovers Games image credit : Campden History Society
The Cotswold Olimpicks - Your Questions Answered
Is the Cotswold Olimpicks definitely on this year?
Absolutely!
We’ve been grafting pretty hard behind the scenes, raising funds and gathering enough helpers to bring The Games back to Dovers Hill for 2018.
When is it?
Friday 1st June.
What time does it all kick off?
The gates open at 5pm, that’s when all the fun begins. You can enjoy our sideshows, food, music, dance and static displays. Then at 6pm there’s a jousting display in the Main Arena.
Ooh tell us more… What else have you got on?
We think that Dovers' Games is the ultimate Cotswold spectator sport, with something for everyone, but for our full line-up it’s best if you take a look at our event timetable here.
Can I bring my dog?
We are very sorry but due to the nature of the event and the fireworks we can’t allow dogs on the hill.
Fireworks??
Oh yes! The firework display lights up the the sky over the Vale shortly after Robert Dover & Endymion Porter escort the Scuttlebrook Queen to light the beacon before the torch-lit procession is led, by the band into the town square for even more merriment and dancing to the live band.
Ah yes, where can I buy my torch for the procession?
On the hill. There will be a stall where you can purchase torches for £3.50.
Can I bring a food onto the hill?
Well yes you can, but we have some mega tasty offerings from local food suppliers this year. The line up looks like this; The Persian Kitchen dishing out authentic eastern kebabs, burritos and burgers created by The Camper Hamper, Trailer Trash cooking up gourmet burgers, premium fish and chips served by The Starchip Enterprise, La Bonne Crepe crafting artisan crepes, traditional Ice Cream from Abigail's Vintage Scoop and hot drinks served from Grouch Coffee.
Can we bring alcohol?
We regret that strictly no alcohol is allowed onto the hill, but after the procession into the town there will be a bar in The Square.
How much is it to get in?
Adult tickets are £6.50
Children 5-16 £2.50
Under 5's are FREE
This year we are also offering a Family Ticket for £15 wick you can buy online but these are limited.
Where can I buy tickets?
This is the first year we’ve had tickets available online here
And from 14th May 'til 31st May you can also buy tickets from Toke's Food & Drink on the high street in Chipping Campden.
On the day of the event there will also be tickets will be for sale at the dedicated stall in the Town Square.
What’s the best way to get to the event?
By Bus - catch one of our official return shuttle busses up to Dovers' Hill. You'll need to buy your shuttle bus tickets (adults £1 children 50p) from the Town Square, not far from where the buses depart for the hill.
By foot - Chipping Campden marks the start of the Cotswold Way, you can take the first part of the route which leads you, by footpath straight onto Dovers' Hill. Head down the High Street and turn right just before the Volunteer Inn, along Back Ends then head up Hoo Lane and look for the event signage.
There is FREE parking in the town. Chipping Campden High School (GL55 6HU) is probably the best spot.
We do have some limited paid parking on the hill.
However you decide to arrive, check for road closures, take care when walking on roads and please park considerately.
How do I enter the Shin Kicking?
Just rock up on the night with your brave pants on and put your name down at the registration area at 6.30pm.
Can I take photographs?
You certainly can. We’d also love to see them too. You can share them on social media with the hashtag #dovers2018 or if you have some really fancy ones email them over to us here.
I there anything else I need to know?
No, just come along and have a cracking night and enjoy the spirit of the games, just as Robert Dover himself would have wanted.
Oh and come back next year, our 2019 event promises to be even bigger and better!!
If you have any more questions feel free to get in touch here.
Chairman's Blog | First New Committee Meeting, Fundraising & Volunteers
Well, hello there Shinkickers. I trust your August is going swimmingly, despite the lacklustre weather.
There has been much activity within the Robert Dover’s Games Society (RDGS) since my last post, culminating in our monthly meeting last Tuesday at The Lygon Arms. There is so much to discuss it’s hard to know where begin, so we’ve started by taking an overview of the games and split everything up into manageable chunks. The catering team met last night and the treasury meeting is next week before the next full meeting in September.
We were lucky enough to be joined at the meeting by 15 enthusiastic people and there were a few apologies. This is great news as it means we now have a meaningful number of people to get stuff decided and acted upon. The meeting was very productive; following introductions to some new faces, we got on with the business of divvying up the work. Without going into too much detail, there will now be specific groups concerned with looking after the different aspects of the games.
You’ll be able to contact them directly after the next meeting on 19th September:
info@olimpickgames.co.uk – for general enquiries from the public
media@olimpickgames.co.uk – media/video/photo/news enquiries
accounts@olimpickgames.co.uk – anything to do with money
catering@olimpickgames.co.uk – food & drink
ops@olimpickgames.co.uk – Planning, legals and operations.
fundraising@olimpickgames.co.uk – raising funds
admin@olimpickgames.co.uk – the one in charge of all the info
chairman@olimpickgames.co.uk – direct line to the chairman of the games.
At first glance it might seem excessive to have so many email addresses, but it is part of a wider effort to tidy up the administration side of the organising committee. By doing this we will now be able to keep a record of everything that goes into putting on the games which, we hope, will help to ensure their continuity and make it easier for new people to step into vacated roles. In addition to the new emails, we now have a shared, secure, online space in which to store every bit of information concerning the games. This will also be going live at the next meeting and will be accessible to committee members as and when they need it.
In Other Games News
We’re lucky enough to have a young designer come forward who will be helping us to produce promotional material and get it out into surrounding towns and villages as the games approaches and also undertake an audit of the signs in and around the games and the town.
We’ve had at least one person offer to be a rider for us next year but are still looking for a second accomplished equestrian and a supplier of superb horses that are used to dealing with crowds of people. Plenty of time yet but it would be good to get this arranged as soon as possible so if that’s you, or you know someone it might be… Get in touch.
Transparency & Positivity
It’s my belief that it’s easier to organise a community event such as this if you can engage everyone whom it might affect and this is why I try to write a blog post each month at least. One reason is the transparency it offers. If we don’t tell people what’s going on, they can’t jump in and help. Equally, it’s a major part of spreading the word about the games. The more people who are talking positively about it, the better the games will eventually become. Enthusiasm is infectious.
Fundraising
So, in the name of transparency, the headline figure that we are aiming for is a fundraising total, this year, of £10,000.00 to get the games up and running again. We have already managed to put £1,400.00 towards this, and there are a number of events planned throughout the year but obviously we will need the help of Campden to reach our total. So, if you’re doing something crazy for charity and are short of a cause…. You know where to look. Because of this, we will be setting up a donations page too so we can all keep tabs on how it’s getting on. It’s also a great way that people can get involved in their own time, if it’s difficult for them to commit to regular meetings etc.
To break that down into a manageable number, if every resident of Chipping Campden gave £3.75 in one year (about the price of a pint), we’d hit our target for fundraising!
We’ll be putting together fundraising initiatives throughout the year so keep ‘em peeled for how you can help.
Volunteers
We believe that by conservative estimates, we need 50 volunteers on the day of the games. We have to ensure that the site is safe for visitors and largely these voluntary roles will be guiding and directing visitors, taking money and generally being a happy face of the games. In recent years these numbers have dropped dramatically, but having talked to many people since the reformed committee started, I am very confident we can achieve these numbers, so keep your eyes peeled for the meetings we’ll be holding and have a think about what you might be able to do.
That’s about it for now, folks. I have lots of people to see again this month and we have a financial meeting, a catering meeting, some photoshoots, a radio slot and a visit to the hill to plan the next layout. As usual, you can contact the committee through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email or via the website, or me directly on the email below. Enjoy the rest of the summer holidays, we’ll be back in a few weeks, conkers at the ready!
Cheers.
Heigh for Cotswold!
Tom.
Below are three pictures which were dug out for us by Martin Polley, Friend of the Games and Sports Historian Extraordinaire (not his official title). They're from 1951. Wonderfully, The lady in the left hand photo, Cynthia replied to our post on social media to let us know that she was crowned May Queen in 1950 and then she passed on the crown to her cousin, Rosemary, (pictured right) in 1951.
Throughout the year, hopefully we can unearth more of the history of the games and we'll bring you some more treats from the past. If anyone has any memorabilia, please get in touch as we'll be preparing an official archive as part of our medium and long term plans.
Note: A while ago, when the games had to be postponed this year, I put a post out about the games being cancelled because of health and safety concerns. If I was writing it today I would probably rephrase it as it was either misleading or was misconstrued. To set the record straight, it was nothing to do with anyone or any institution saying that the games themselves were in breach of any laws concerning health and safety. Rather, it was that there weren’t enough resources to be able to guarantee the health and safety of those attending the games.
Looking Ahead To The 2018 Games
The 2017 games date came and went, and while it was a shame the games didn't happen, Scuttlebrook Wake went ahead as planned and did the town proud.
On the Friday, The Volunteer Inn presented Tommy & The Fuse (who would have been playing The Square) under the covers in the garden, while mother nature did her best to deter the crowd with lashings and lashings of the wet stuff. The Vol footed half the band's cost and raised a further £400 toward the 2018 Games fund - massive thank you to The Vol crew for that.
The floats were once again brilliant, and the town came out in full support of this great tradition. As well as co-funding the band on Friday, Toke's also provided Saturday street entertainment on the High Street, showcasing a funk-trio of incredibly talented musicians which was wonderfully received by revelers on the banks of the West side of the High Street.
A massive thank you and well done to everyone who made the weekend special - a notable shout out also to The Red Lion who donated their float prize money towards next year's games.
Since the revelry, I have spoken to lots of people in the town who have been eager to know how they can help, when the next meeting is and whether there is going to even be a games in 2018. There will be a meeting announced on here and on our social media pages very soon - everybody is welcome - and further announcements will be made in due course about the 2018 games. All I can say is that at the moment, there is a huge desire and a will to bring it back and with the support of the town we will be able to put it on AND guarantee the future of the games.
Bookmark this news page, or sign up to receive it as emails in your inbox, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Rebooting The Original Olimpicks
As you will have seen from the previous post, the next RDGS meeting is the first since the games was cancelled for 2017. There has since been plenty of engagement with the community via social media – nearly 30,000 facebook interactions as it stands, which is incredible and shows that the reach of the games can be far and wide.
A handful of people new to the committee who answered last year’s recruitment call have now clubbed together and formed a steering group to drive the revival of the games. It has put together a list of target people within the town whom it feels would be great for the games. These people will be approached privately so they are able to say no if they wish. There is also an outline structural plan as to how the organisation can renew, evolve and in turn preserve The Games’ tradition, while involving as many of the community as possible.
It has been many years since something like this has happened but equally it is far from unusual for events of this nature to have to stop in order to restructure and reorganise, regardless of age or size; People move on, society and communities change and events centred upon and run by small communities have to change to survive. The cancellation of the 2017 games is simply one of the many hiatuses that this games has endured since its inception in 1612, each time returning to roll again. It’s sad in the short term but is also a great opportunity.
The reformed committee very much hopes that the spirit of the Chipping Campden community can be harnessed in order that the next games is the best for years, pays for itself and sets a new standard which can be the benchmark for future games.
Everyone that is and has been involved with the games does so as a volunteer, giving up their time freely and this will continue to be the case. There have been some amazing, dedicated people involved with the games over the years, whose enthusiasm and hard work have meant it has been able to continue, the latest of those being Mr Graham Greenall, who has been custodian of the games’ history for a long while and who also saw that the games required a reorganisation over a year ago. It was Graham who then recruited all of the people on the newly formed committee. We believe that with many people giving what time or resources that they can, there is no reason that the games can’t be a roaring success in the future. However, there is no point in pretending – things have changed an awful lot in the last few decades as regards the responsibilities and liabilities for events like this. There is no reason at all that these changes can’t be accommodated, other than lack of volunteers and skills. The committee is convinced that both are in abundance in Campden, we just need to find them.
The games needs to make money to cover its own costs, it needs to promote itself far and wide to make sure it is well attended year on year and most of all, it needs to be enjoyed and cherished by the people in the town. The aim of the committee is simple; To revive the games, put in place a blueprint for future games, and to ensure the town is proud to host them.
There are a number of busy roles and some not so busy roles which have been identified by the new committee. These will need to be filled so that we can modernise and protect the games for future generations. The more people we have on board the less problematic it is when one person’s circumstances change and they are no longer able to be involved, thus ensuring continuity.
We have put together a simple document which outlines these roles so that you can see for yourself before the meeting next week how many people are needed and for what roles. It will be posted on the games website over the Easter weekend.
We have tried to identify original spirit of the games which has always been about fun. The meetings, the fundraising, the putting on – everything to do with the games should be about bringing the community together for fun. We should be inviting the rest of the world to come and see what can still be done by a small rural community in the 21st century. If that sounds a bit grand, the shin-kicking showpiece on the hill attracts around 3-8 million hits online in the weeks following the games.
Lastly, with regard to communication, we are trying to re-establish great lines of communication with the local community and further afield. We have created a news section for the website in the short term, where important announcements will be made, as well as the minutes from all future meetings. The Facebook Group will continue to function, as will the Twitter account and Instagram. However, in the name of being visible within the town, look out for notices which will be posted at Toke’s and The Volunteer Inn.
We really look forward to meeting you on Tuesday 18th at The Lygon Arms at 7.30pm. We will issue the notes on recruitment before the meeting. Please bring with you enthusiasm and positivity and together I’m confident we can put on an amazing show in 2018.
Many thanks,
Tom Threadgill.
On behalf of the RDGS
