The World Conker Championships has found an unlikely sponsor this month, with the announcement that the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is backing the event in a bid to lose its "spoilsport" image. The event which is held annually in Ashton, Northamptonshire, in England, has been organised by the village's conker club since 1965. About 500 entrants from Jamaica, the US, Brazil, the Philippines, Benin, mainland Europe and now IOSH themselves, are among those due to compete when the Championships begin on 12 October.
This time last year the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported on the myth that children had been asked to wear goggles when playing conkers. IOSH president Ray Hurst said, "We do not, and never have, required children to wear goggles to play conkers and anyone who suggests otherwise has a limited knowledge of health and safety. Health and safety does not require goggles at conker matches and it does not ban goggles at swimming pools."
The HSE website says a headteacher suggested children should wear goggles, which lead to other schools banning the game on health and safety grounds. The HSE responded by arguing that the safety risk from playing conkers was "incredibly low and not worth bothering about." Mr Hurst added, "I am looking forward to captaining my team to glory at the Championships to show that health and safety people are not spoilsports. We like to have fun like anyone else. You just have to manage the risks, not ban them into oblivion."
