East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon boat racing at previous East Anglian Dragon Boat Festivals, courtesy Gable Events

Local companies get fired up for the East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival!

Companies, clubs and organisations from across the region have been rushing to get their teams together and sign up to take part in this year’s eagerly anticipated East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival.

With 18 entries already confirmed, it’s now a race to enter a team and guarantee a place on the start line in Lowestoft on Sunday 31st May 2015! 

One of the early entrants is Gold crew Specialised Management Services Ltd (SMS) from Great Yarmouth. SMS manufacture and supply offshore services and crew manager Emily Phillips is looking forward to helping Festival charity, East Coast Hospice as well as strengthening internal company relationships. “At SMS we are always taking part in different activities to raise money for charity and promote a sense of team spirit across the company. We have taken part in many events for major charities, but the Dragon Boat Festival stands out to us as it is supporting a local charity, East Coast Hospice. It is a wonderful event that is perfect for group days out so our competing members of staff can be supported by their family and friends. Events like this make SMS a proud and productive team.” Emily was involved in the last East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival in 2013 and her positive experience influenced her company’s decision to enter this time around, “I thoroughly enjoyed the whole event, there were many things to do with stalls and local group demonstrations happening throughout the day. It’s not just about the racing, there’s something for all ages.”

Entrants so far…

As well as SMS, other companies opting for the profile and fund-raising benefits of a gold entry including Seajacks of Great Yarmouth, EV of Norwich and FW Hall & Son of Norwich. Every gold entry includes a £750 donation to East Coast Hospice as well as marketing benefits such as the company logo on the side of a dragon boat, crew gazebo and advert in the souvenir programme. Through their silver entry, Mumfords Hardware of Southwold have made a further £500 donation to East Coast Hospice.

With teams coming from all corners of East Anglia and representing so many different industries, the inter-company rivalry is definitely building! Other early Festival entrants include Persimmon Homes Ltd (Lowestoft), Orwell Motorcycles (Ipswich), Subsea Technology & Rentals Ltd (Great Yarmouth), Howes Percival LLP (Norwich), Genevac Ltd (two teams from Ipswich), Elite Interiors (UK) Ltd (Lowestoft), Snelling Business Systems Ltd (Wymondham), Asco UK (Great Yarmouth), NetMatters Ltd (Wymondham), ATPI (Lowestoft), Sunrise Installations Ltd (Lowestoft) and East Coast Hospice (Great Yarmouth).

We caught up with Laura Hardiman from Ipswich-based Orwell Motorcycles, who are a leading retailer of motorbike gear, clothing and accessories. Laura commented, “This will be our third attempt at trying to look like pro dragon boaters! We enter for a number of reasons, it raises money for charity primarily but as a company we actually get a lot out of it too. To spend the day doing something fun which the whole family can enjoy – and our regular customers come and watch – is great as there aren’t many opportunities to do that during the year and we are normally talking about it for weeks after (there is plenty of leg-pulling too!) Great for staff morale! Our team will be made up with staff from all departments (workshop, office, sales and spares) as well as any partners who wish to join in the fun, so it will be a real mix of ages, genders and ability!”

Festival charity – East Coast Hospice

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 and 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.

To take part in the dragon boat racing and help raise money for East Coast Hospice, no previous experience is required, just plenty of team spirit and enthusiasm! The dragon boats, qualified helms and all racing equipment are provided and each crew is guaranteed a minimum of three races. The Festival, supported by The Lowestoft Journal, promises a fantastic day for competitors and spectators alike with street entertainment, funfair rides, inflatable activities and plenty of food and drink for all the family on the bankside.

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.org.uk

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