New Date and Venue for Dragon Boat Festival

 03/05/2013

The dragon boat racing event which was scheduled to take place on Lincoln's Brayford Pool this month has been moved to a new date.

The racing will now take place on Saturday 27th July at Activities Away off the A46 in South Hykeham.

Money raised at the event, which will also feature a barbecue, family entertainment, activities for children, live music and a pamper tent, will go to the Bishop Grosseteste Foundation Fund.

Dragon boat racing, which originated in ancient China, is the fastest growing water activity in Britain today - and there's still time for local businesses and organisations to enter a team.

Crews made up of 11 to 15 people will do battle over the 200m course in 30-foot boats which are decorated to reflect the Chinese heritage of the sport.

Paul Stephenson, Fundraising and Campaigns Manager for BGU, commented: "It's unfortunate that, because of healthy and safety issues, we had to find a new venue for the event.

"However we're looking forward to launching our dragon boats in South Hykeham and we're sure that the festival will be even bigger and better as a result of the change."

Funds raised from the event will go towards Bishop Grosseteste's Sowing Seeds Growing Minds Programme, an initiative designed to educate children both in England and in the developing world about nutrition and healthy diets.

The team that raises the most money for the BG Foundation Fund will receive the Charity Trophy and win themselves a meal courtesy of Longdales B&B at BGU. There will also be trophies and medals awarded to the top crew, the best placed mixed gender crew and the best dressed crew.

There are two categories of entry fee per team - Standard and Gold - which cost £550 and £1,000 respectively. Both include the required equipment and qualified instruction, as well as advertising incentives for participating businesses.

Standard entry includes a mention in the souvenir programme and a profile on the BGU website, while Gold entry includes a two-metre banner, marquee space, a profile on the BGU website and a half-page advert in the souvenir programme.

The event is a collaboration between Bishop Grosseteste University and Gable Events. For more information contact Bishop Grosseteste University on 01522 583760 or visit http://www.bishopg.ac.uk/?_id=10758