Great British pastimes: What leisure means to the English

From cheese rolling to soaking wet festivals, we are a bizarre nation when it comes to having fun

When the UK decided to leave the EU, London-born photographer Orlando Gili set out to capture who the English really are. 

He fixed his lens on the nation’s rather strange love of leisure. From horse racing to wartime re-enactments, carnivals to clubs, from ancient and quintessential rituals (medieval village bottle-kicking competitions) to the more modern (Santa pub crawls), the images reveal what unites a divided nation: a relentless desire for organised fun. 

The collection of photos is a celebration of community, culture and tradition... recorded just before the world changed.

Trivial Pursuits: The English at Play by Orlando Gili is published by Hoxton Mini Press