Giant 50-Foot Rubber Ducky Sails Down River Thames
Residents, tourists, and city workers couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw a 50-foot rubber ducky floating down the Thames this morning.
The bright yellow 50-foot rubber ducky, weighing half a ton, quietly sailed down the Thames, amusing witnesses in London.
It was launched to publicize a new £250,000 bursary designed to encourage people in the UK to have more fun.
Former Carry On and EastEnders actress Barbara Windsor, who saw the duck off at West India Dock is patron of Jackpotjoy.com’s new Facebook FUNdation, part of a marketing campaign to grant funds to people who have good ideas to make people laugh.
“We thought a giant rubber duck floating down the River Thames was a great way to kick the FUNdation off, and it definitely raised a smile and a chuckle from everyone who saw it,” she said.
“After the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant, the floating Olympic rings and David Beckham jetting into the Olympic opening ceremony, the Thames really has seen it all this year.
“The giant duck was a perfect way to round it all off and it certainly cheered everyone up.
“No one could suppress a smile as they saw it sailing past on its way to HMS Belfast.”
Miss Windsor, who is patron of the FUNdation, said she hoped the duck stunt would encourage people to come up with their own ideas.
“We now want people to send us their own entries of wacky things they’d like to do, and we’ll provide funding for the best ones.”
A team of eight people and over 800 man-hours went into the crafting of the giant rubber duck, but organizers say it was entirely worth it.
We need an initiative to have fun stateside.
Jordan Shepherd | Elite.
