Following the launch of the East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival, Gable Events and East Coast Hospice (ECH) have been celebrating the Chinese New Year with an influx of entries from companies from across the region including Specialist Management Services and Seajacks (Gold entries), Mumfords Hardware (Silver entry) together with standard entries from Howes Percival, Persimmon Homes, Orwell Motorcycles and Subsea Technology & Rentals.

We caught up with Amelia Chadd from Mumfords Hardware. Based in Southwold, the well-known hardware cum general store has often been described as an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ and stocks a vast array of things – from mouse traps to bath mats and wind breaks to coffee cups. Amelia comments, “We are delighted to be putting a Silver team into the Dragon Boat Festival. Our main reason for doing so is that we believe passionately in helping East Coast Hospice to build a hospice on their site at Gorleston. There is no residential hospice in our area and it is so important that we help raise the money. Most of us in the shop are not in the first flush of youth but we are hoping that with the help of family and friends we can put together a team that might not win but which will certainly be conspicuous for our enthusiasm on the day.”

The 2015 Festival, supported by the Lowestoft Journal, takes place on Sunday 31^st May at Nicholas Everitt Park, Oulton Broad and is one of the largest and most eagerly anticipated team events in the region. Up to 50 crews representing companies, organisations, clubs and groups of friends from Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and throughout East Anglia are expected to battle it out over the 200m race course. They will all be seeking to become champions whilst also adding vital funds to the East Coast Hospice appeal.

Dragon boat racing has an ancient Chinese history and the Festival is a re-enactment of a tragic event that took place more than 2,000 years ago in the kingdom of Chu. Legend has it that falsely accused of treason and exiled by jealous rivals in the government, despairing warrior poet, Qu Yuan, threw himself into the Mi Lo River. Local fishermen paddled out to save the drowning poet and tried to rescue him from vicious fish by beating the water with their paddles. But their attempts failed and every year in Hong Kong and all over China a Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival is held as a mark of respect for the fishermen’s frantic efforts and to commemorate the tragic death of Qu Yuan. The dragon boat’s fierce looking dragon’s heads were added later to ward off evil spirits and in Hong Kong special dumplings are eaten to represent the dumplings that were thrown in to the river to stop the fish eating the mighty Qu’s body.

According to the Chinese calendar, 2015 is the Year of the Sheep. The sheep (goat or ram) is an important animal in Chinese culture. People born in the year of the sheep are said to be clever and kind-hearted and display a willingness to take good care of others. This certainly translates to all those entering this year’s Festival as their fundraising efforts will have a direct impact on those who need it most in the region.

No previous experience is required to take part in the dragon boat racing, just plenty of team spirit so why not take up the challenge? Thankfully, you don’t need the physical strength or athleticism of the England Rugby team to be successful, as teamwork and timing will win the day. The dragon boats, qualified helms and all racing equipment are provided and each crew is guaranteed a minimum of three races. The Festival offers a full day of fun on land as well as water with plenty of activities on the bankside to entertain teams and spectators between races.

Hospices play a key role in providing support and care to people with incurable illnesses as well as their family and friends. At present there are no inpatient hospices in the Waveney & Yarmouth area but East Coast Hospice plans to change this. Their vision is to provide an independent local Hospice that delivers expert medical care alongside compassion, dignity, love and peace for those with life-limiting conditions. They aim to support patients and their families to live as well as they can for as long as they can and when the time comes; to support a dignified ending to their life. The funds raised from the East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival will help to turn this vision into reality.

Carol Lester, Director of Festival organisers, Gable Events, adds: “The Festival is a great chance for companies and organisations to try something completely different, promote themselves to a large local audience, network with local companies and potential clients and raise money for East Coast Hospice. It is also a fantastic team building opportunity – what better way to get to know what makes your colleagues and competitors tick?! We expect the Festival to be as popular as ever this time around so we recommend teams get their entries in early to guarantee a place”. 

For further information and an entry form please visit

www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/eastanglia or call Gable Events on 01780 470 718. To find out more about the services of East Coast Hospice call 01493 718707 or visit www.eastcoasthospice.co.uk/

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