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Cleankill sponsors medieval football match

Chiddingstone Real Football

Cleankill Pest Control is pleased to announce it is sponsoring the Chiddingstone Real Football charitable event on Good Friday, 7th April 2023.

Now in its ninth year, not including the two years lost to COVID, Chiddingstone Real Football is a charity event in aid of Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air AmbulanceHospice In The Weald, and local food banks. It involves two teams, The Castle Crusaders and The Rock Inn Rollers – each with over 100 players – competing over fields and through rivers and woodland with the aim of getting the ball to their respective goal – a pub. The two pubs, The Castle Inn in Chiddingstone and The Rock Inn in Chiddingstone Hoath are situated roughly one mile apart.

The event has very few rules and is a combination of football, rugby and wrestling. The ‘pitch’ has a perimeter road that forms the boundary. Competitors are not allowed to cross this boundary, enter private property, hide the ball or smuggle it by wheel or four legs. Other than that, pretty much anything goes!

Kick-off is at 2pm on Good Friday at the original Rabbit Rock in Chiddingstone Village. 

Real football has medieval origins. The organisers of Chiddingstone Real Football were inspired to start their charity event after learning about the Royal Shrovetide Football Match in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. This event dates back to around 1667, although there is evidence of Shrovetide ball games being played across England as far back as the reign of Henry II (1154–89).

Managing Director Paul Bates: “As a company, Cleankill was founded on the ethos that we must give back to our communities. In the past we have supported the air ambulance and so, when we heard about the Chiddingstone Real Football event, it seemed like the perfect way to help several worthwhile charities while supporting a wonderful community event.”

Watch an ITV Meridian report from 2019 to learn more about the Chiddingstone Real Football event, click here.

Picture: https://www.facebook.com/ChiddRealFootball