Better Bankside Pancake Day Race 2011

Teams of four drawn from local businesses are encouraged to donate a minimum of £20 to the charity Paintings in Hospitals, which lends original works of art to UK healthcare facilities. The race has been running since 2007 and teams can enter up until Friday March 4. The rules state: 'Each pancake must be visibly flipped, whereby the whole pancake flips in the air,' and competitors should be aware that 'Marshals will advise on validity of flip by shouting your team number and the word “again” if the flip is not valid or pancake falls on the ground. Marshals cannot be argued with.' The winner is the first team past the post with more than a third of the pancake in the pan still whole. Watch the action unfold at Montague Close to the north of Southwark Cathedral, with heaters and a marquee set up in case of adverse weather, plus music to add to the festivities. You can get into the spirit with pancakes sold by Baxters, and the nearby Mudlarks Pub and Southwark Cathedral refectory usually have special menus, too. The cathedral also presents the winners' trophy, and as many of the teams compete with each throughout the year in other events such as boules and quizzes, things can get quite competitive on Pancake Day.