Newark Dragon Boat Festival 2022 returns with 35 teams battling it out in support of Children’s Bereavement Centre and Beaumond House Hospice Care

Oars are at the ready as the Newark Dragon Boat Festival returns for the third time this Sunday (September 18).

The festival is organised by two well-loved Newark charities, the Children’s Bereavement Centre and Beaumond House Hospice.

As many other events nationally are cancelled or postponed, the organisers confirmed in a joint statement that the charity event would still be going ahead and will pay respects to the Queen ahead of her state funeral on Monday.

More than 50 companies, community organisations and groups are supporting the event by sponsoring 35 teams taking to the waters of the River Trent in the Dragon Boat race.

Racing takes place from 10am to 5.30pm on Sunday, with a series of heats testing three teams at a time for a place in the finals.

The nine fastest from the heats will go through to three semi-finals, where there will be a trophy for the winning team, best fancy dress and the team that raised the most money.

One of the companies taking part is Motorfinity who are also an event partner.

Motorfinity news editor, Renee Foster, said: "We took part in the festival last year for the very first time and absolutely loved it. Besides raising so much money for charity, it was a wonderful team bonding experience and we couldn't wait to come back.

"We've sponsored two teams for this year's race and will be receiving support from members of Newark Town FC.

"Almost everyone at the company will be involved in some way, from the CEO all the way down.

"Motorfinity has a long-standing partnership with both Beaumond House Hospice Care and the Children’s Bereavement Centre and are extremely proud of their ‘supporting local’ culture."

The company will be providing a carnival themed activity area in Riverside Park for the first time.

All of the most iconic carnival attractions will be there including; circus entertainers, hook a duck, tin can alley, a strongman test and even a medieval stocks where the public can throw wet sponges at whoever is unfortunate enough to be placed in them.

"As partners, we met regularly with charity members to organise the events and the feeling was that they very much wanted to grow the event, making it bigger and better than ever." Said Renee.

"That's why we decided to introduce the carnival activities for the first time. We hope that it'll be good for the town by drawing more people to the festival and as a result, introduce more people to these two wonderful charities."

There will also be on stage, musical and dance entertainment throughout the day in Riverside Park.

The festival takes place at a difficult time for organisers, as events and sporting fixtures up and down the country are cancelled or postponed following the death of The Queen.

"We are mindful that the nation is mourning." Renee said.

"This is a crucial day for the charities, we know, and I am sure they have their own tribute planned.

"The Queen was, of course, patron to many charities including Cancer Research, and I am sure she would give royal approval for the event to carry on in these circumstances."

Teams have already set up online fundraising pages and are encouraging people to sponsor them to take part. If you would like to sponsor a team, you can do so HERE.

The 35 companies and teams taking part is as follows:

• Access Accounts Services,
• Ambitions Personnel,
• Bakkavor Desserts,
• Bakkavor Desserts,
• BE Design,
• C.F. Construction,
• The Duck,
• Duncan & Toplis,
• Fatbashers,
• Future Cloud Accounting,
• GXO,
• Liberty & Honey/Lace Boutique,
• Ikano Bank,
• Independent Rowing Retailers of Newark,
• Influence Landscape Planning and Design,
• Currys,
• MinsterFB,
• Motorfinity,
• Motorfinity Leasing,
• Newark College,
• Newark Round Table,
• Newark & Sherwood United FC,
• Novati (Uk Waste Solutions),
• Post Office/Royal Mail Newark,
• Post Office/Royal Mail Grantham,
• Pro Heat,
• Raiders of the New Ark,
• Ringrose Law,
• RPS,
• Newark District Scout Leaders,
• UMC Architects,
• UMC Architects,
• W.M. Saunders,
• YMCA Newark & Sherwood,
• You Can Do Sport.