Record-breaking turnout for Bradford Hospitals Charity dragon boat teams

Bradford Hospitals’ Charity will enter 12 teams into this year’s Bradford Dragon Boat Festival – more than any other charity ever has.

The multi-charity championships day on Sunday 23 June will see 45 teams racing along the River Aire in Roberts Park, Saltaire. Of the 45 teams entered, 12 are raising money for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity – the official NHS charity partner of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Joint festival organiser Razwana Mahmood said: “As always, I am delighted with the participation of Bradford Hospitals’ Charity, as the teams bring so much fun, energy and friendly competitiveness to the event. They have set a record this year for our Multi Charity Championships Day, for the number of teams they have entered.

“I have an enormous amount of respect for the NHS and I consider NHS staff our unsung heroes, so I feel very privileged to have them participate at Bradford Dragon Boat Festival.”

Last year, the festival raised around £60,000 in total over three days, with around one third going to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and two thirds to charities taking part in the multi-charity championship.

Bradford Hospitals’ Charity teams racing are as follows (click the link to visit their Just Giving pages):

Watson Buckle Chartered Accountants are currently ahead in the Bradford Hospitals’ Charity league table, having raised £1,965 so far. Howard Civil Engineering are second, on £1,880so far.

The X-Raycers, who are made up of staff from the Trust’s radiology department, are raising money for the charity’s big Rays a Smile appeal, which aims to raise £250,000 to make radiology services more child-friendly.

For more information about the appeal, visit https://bradfordhospitalscharity.org/rays-a-smile/

Hayley Collis, head of fundraising for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity, said: “We are incredibly excited to take part in this year’s multi-charity championship day. Our staff and corporate supporters have put a lot of hard work into training and raising money, for which we are so grateful! We can’t wait to turn Robert’s Park purple!”

Friday 21 June will see the youth championships and Saturday 22 June the Lord Mayor’s championships, raising money for the Lord Mayor’s chosen charities, Child Bereavement UK and the Pot of Gold Appeal.

To find out more about the festival, visit www.bradforddragonboatfestival.co.uk

To find out more about Bradford Hospitals’ Charity and how you can support your local hospitals, visit www.bradfordhospitalscharity.org. Alternatively, contact Hayley Collis or Elaine Drake on 01274 274809 or email [email protected]

Some of our fantastic paediatricians who took part in last year’s Dragon Boat Festival.