Brindleyplace has announced that HelpHarryHelpOthers is the chosen charity for this year’s Dragonboat Festival; an annual charity boat race that sees teams battle against each other along the canal at Brindleyplace.
Georgie Moseley, chairman and founder of HelpHarryHelpOthers; Kate Fitall, destination marketing manager, GVA and Brindleyplace; Simon Allatt, site head of communications Birmingham at Deutsche Bank, all celebrating the launch of the Brindleyplace Dragonboat Festival 2013.
Now in its 14th year, the Dragonboat festival is regarded by many as the fundraising event for the business community in Birmingham – and entries are now open for people wishing to take part.
The highly-competitive race will take place on Saturday 22 June on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Brindleyplace, with rowers competing in a series of heats in traditional Chinese longboats from Pitcher and Piano, The Water’s Edge in Brindleyplace, to the winning post at The NIA.
Organisers of this year’s Dragonboat are hoping to exceed last year’s fundraising total of more than £40,000 which was donated to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Kate Fittall, destination marketing manager, GVA and Brindleyplace said: “Each year the Dragonboat Festival is one of our most popular events at Brindleyplace and now that we’ve officially launched the event I can guarantee we will be flooded with requests from people, particularly local businesses, wishing to take part in the fierce competition.
“Helping local good causes is a huge priority for the team at Brindleyplace and we are pleased to reveal that over the past 13 years Dragonboat has raised in excess of £200,000 for local charities. This year it was decided, with our sponsor Deutsche Bank, that the competition will raise money for HelpHarryHelpOthers; a charity that was set up in the memory of 11 year old Harry Moseley who fought tirelessly to help those living with cancer.”
Deutsche Bank has sponsored the Dragonboat Festival for the past two years and has committed to support the charity event until 2015.
Kate said: “Dragonboat is always such an impressive and enjoyable event and I would encourage everyone who is even remotely interested to register their details straight away before all the places have been snapped up.”
A total of 22 teams will take part in the Dragonboat race, with up to 17 people in each team – made up of one drummer and 10 rowers, with a maximum of six substitutes. Last year participants included No5 Chambers, Lloyds Banking Group, West Midlands Fire Service and competition winners, Harvey Nash.
Each team is required to raise £1,500 through sponsorship, including a £250 deposit. All the money raised will be donated to HelpHarryHelpOthers and there will be some fantastic prizes up for grabs on the day.
Georgie Moseley, chairman and founder of HelpHarryHelpOthers and mother of Harry Moseley, said: “To have such a prestigious city centre event raising money for HelpHarryHelpOthers is incredibly rewarding. It is the charity’s aim to provide both financial and emotional support to children suffering from cancer, along with their siblings and families, and fundraising such as this has a direct and very real influence on us being able to achieve these goals.”
In addition to the boat race, Brindleyplace based Free Radio will be hosting family-friendly activities in Central Square, including traditional Chinese lion dancers along with street entertainers, a bouncy castle, face painting, a craft market and live music during the course of the day.
For more information or to register your interest in taking part visit www.brindleyplace.com
