Dragons race to raise thousands for Hospice
Ten teams battled it out on the water at St Elizabeth Hospice’s Dragon Boat Race on Sunday 15th June.
Around 500 people came to Alton Water to watch the races and enjoy the fun-day, which raised thousands of pounds for the local charity.
Ten teams, including competitors from businesses in Suffolk, went head-to-head in the dragon boats, as families and friends lined the water to cheer them on.
Gavin Lamb, St Elizabeth Hospice’s Business Partnerships Fundraiser, said: “The atmosphere was fantastic, with 500 people cheering our teams on and enjoying the day.
“We have had thousands of pounds pledged in sponsorship, which will go towards local Hospice care for local people. Thank you to everyone who supported the event, the crews and their companies, the sponsors and spectators, the volunteers, Anglian Water and Gable Events for their ongoing support.”
Results
The Bengal Tigers (right), from Ipswich’s Muslim community, paddled to victory by a whisker winning the final in 51.55 secs. Runners-up were the Buster Plughole Shifters from Challs International, Hadleigh-based cleaning product manufacturers, finishing in 51.77 secs. In third place were OOCL.
Mahbub Alam, of the Bengal Tigers, said: “This is the fourth time we have taken part and the first time we have won so it feels fantastic. Last year we came third, and the time before we were second. We also got the fastest time of the day. We did no training and the main reason we took part was to support St Elizabeth Hospice which is a cause close to our heart.”
| Team | Company | Position |
| Bengal Tigers | Ipswich and Suffolk Muslim Council | 1 |
| Buster Plughole Shifters | Challs | 2 |
| OOCL Vikings | OOCL | 3 |
| Bobby on a Bike Crew | Bobby on a Bike | 4 |
| HMS Blue Rinse | Allport | 5 |
| Brewin Dolphins | Brewin Dolphin | 6 |
| Wet Willis | Willis | 7 |
| BTS Group | BTS Group | 8 |
| Orwell Dragons | Orwell Network | 9 |
| Alice in Waterland | The Mix | 10 |
St Elizabeth Hospice improves life for people living with a progressive illness in East Suffolk and South Norfolk. It costs £9.1million a year to run and relies on fundraising events, donations and the income generated from its shops to meet the majority of these costs.
St Elizabeth Hospice’s next event is its Motorcycle Run, on Sunday 22nd June.
