Paddles at the ready, finally – entries are officially open for the 2023 Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival, which will take place at Peterborough Rowing Club on Saturday 10th June.
NewWave Events are bringing the event back to Peterborough for the 23rd year and they are hoping to top the previous years’ festival, which saw 44 teams take part and raise more than £39,000 for the title charity, Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.
Teams of up to 11 people will take to the water to battle it out in 30-foot dragon boats. Each boat will have its own drummer at the front beating out time. As well as the races, which are expected to be watched by several thousand spectators, there will be plenty of bankside entertainment and stalls for all the family.
Alicja Mierzejewska, Executive Director at NewWave Events, said: “We are thrilled to announce that the event will run again in 2023! The event raised an amazing amount for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in 2022 and we are hoping to beat this in 2023! We are super excited to see all the amazing companies that enter year on year and we are also looking forward to seeing some new ones! Our dragons are ready and waiting, so see you all this summer for a great day of fundraising and teambuilding!”
Lucy Morton, Executive Director at NewWave Events, said: The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival is definitely one of my favourite events and I am so glad we can bring this back to the city once again. To be able to continue the partnership with Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice for 2023 is just the icing on the cake. We are all systems go now at NewWave with the preparations and cannot wait to welcome teams and spectators back for the 23rd year!”
The festival will once again raise vital funds for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, which is the only specialist palliative care inpatient unit in Peterborough. The hospice provides expert care and support for people living with life-limiting conditions, as well as supporting their families.
Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice is heavily reliant on fundraising activities and voluntary donations to continue providing its vital care and support across the region, which makes events like the Dragon Boat Festival even more important.
There is a great incentive for teams to raise as much sponsorship as possible – the top fundraisers will be awarded the charity trophy and receive a special Glo Golf experience.
Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice’s Senior Community Fundraiser, Nilesh Patel, said: “A huge thank you to everyone who took part in and was involved with the 2022 festival, which raised more than £39,000 for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. We are blown away by the incredible support of our local community.
“We are thrilled the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival is set to make a splash and return this summer. We hope people will be inspired to make waves and sign up for what promises to be a fantastic day to look forward to, filled with fun and racing!
“We are really grateful the festival will once again raise vital funds for our hospice and help us be there for more local families when it matters. At Sue Ryder, we believe that the end of someone’s life is the most important time of their life. The funds raised will help us to continue to deliver our expert and compassionate care – and fill someone’s last days with love.”
There are spaces for up to 48 crews to make a splash on the 200 metre course. Enhanced Gold and Silver entry packages are available, which include marketing benefits such as the company’s logo on each side of a dragon boat as well as a significant donation to Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. Each team will race a minimum of three times, the dragon boats and all equipment are provided and no previous experience is needed. There will also be a host of bankside activities to entertain teams and spectators alike
The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival is supported by ESP Magazine and sponsored by Peterborough based appliance manufacturer Hotpoint.
Ian Moverley, Communications Director at Whirlpool commented that “We’re delighted to be sponsoring the festival for the second year running as part of our commitment to supporting fundraising in our local community.
Our colleagues love taking part in a fun-filled day and hopefully we can make it onto the podium this time!”
For more information and an entry form, call Festival organisers NewWave Events on 01536 674 748 or visit https://dragonboatevents.co.uk/peterborough-dragon-boat-festival/ to enter online.
For information about the vital work of Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, visit www.sueryder.org/thorpehall or email thorpe.fundraising@sueryder.org
Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice – what funds raised by the dragon boat teams could help to buy
£140 could pay for a patient’s meals for a week in our hospice.
£500 could fund another 24 hours of expert care, so that more people end their lives in a room filled with treasured family and friends, kindness and love.
£3,244 could pay for someone to be cared for at home in their final days by a Sue Ryder Hospice at Home Nurse.
Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival photos courtesy Magdalena Sienicka Photography
