Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival – Still time to get a team together!

31 teams have already signed up to take part in this year’s Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival in aid of MacIntyre and there’s still plenty of time to get a team together and join them on the start line! The Festival, supported by Business MK and MKFM, takes place at Willen Lake on Sunday 23^rd June and is one of the highlights of the regional events calendar.

The Dragon Boat Festival attracts a complete mix of new and returning crews and all with the same aim in mind - to enjoy a fabulous day out with colleagues and friends and make a difference in their community.

EDW Technology has been entering teams into the Festival since 2012 and CEO, Simon Miles explains that as the company grows the competition for places increases every year, “Now that we are a bigger organisation with many more staff, the demand for rowing places is very competitive. Since acquiring TEAM Energy in 2017, last year was the first time we had a combined team from EDW and TEAM. It turned out to be a fabulous way for us all to socialise and integrate. We also revel in the friendly competition that brings businesses in Milton Keynes together. It’s a fun day out for all – both paddlers and supporters cheering from the side”.

EDW is one of several entrants opting for the enhanced Gold entry package which includes the profile and fundraising benefits of the company’s logo on each side of a dragon boat as well as a significant donation to MacIntyre. Other Gold entrants include Collins Aerospace, Home & Legacy, L&Q, Little Star Media, Pertemps Medical, Samuel & Co Trading, The Paterson Group and two teams from SMC Pneumatics.

To take part in the dragon boat racing and help raise money for MacIntyre, 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. There will also be a variety of bankside entertainment to enjoy such as funfair rides, children’s activities and food stalls.

MacIntyre is looking forward to supporting and promoting the fundraising activities of the competing teams. As well as raising vital funds to support its work with over 1,200 children, young people and adults who have a learning disability or autism, the Dragon Boat Festival provides the charity with an opportunity to raise its profile within the corporate sector and wider community. The top fundraisers for MacIntyre will win the Charity trophy plus a special prize meal, sponsored by Merinvest, at highly rated Melis Restaurant in Central Milton Keynes.

MacIntyre’s Head of Fundraising, Claire Kennedy, adds, “Last year’s event was amazing and we’re really looking forward to doing it all again! Every penny raised will be used to benefit people in the Milton Keynes area. The funds raised will support our sports projects which aim to make sport equally accessible for people with a learning disability and other complex needs who want to participate.”

For further information and an entry form visit: www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/miltonkeynes or call Gable Events on 01780 470718. For information about MacIntyre, visit www.macintyrecharity.org or call 01908 230100

The Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival – a Boat Race with a difference!

All eyes will be focussed on the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake this Sunday for the Oxford v Cambridge University Boat Race when double Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell becomes the oldest man to represent one of the crews for this annual test of strength and stamina at the remarkable age of 46. If James has inspired you to take to the water and try something different this summer, why not get some colleagues/friends together and enter a team in the 18^th Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival?

The Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival in aid of MacIntyre takes place at Willen Lake on Sunday 23^rd June and there’s plenty of time to get a team together and guarantee a place on the start line.

Unlike the University Boat Race crews who average 6’ 4” and 14 stone for the men and 5’ 10” and 11 stone for the women, you don’t need the physique of Sir Steve Redgrave or Dame Katherine Grainger to be successful as dragon boat racing caters for people of all shapes, sizes and levels of fitness. No previous experience is required to take part, just plenty of team spirit and enthusiasm!

Under the expert guidance of a qualified helm provided by organisers Gable Events, your crew of up to 11 people will soon be paddling in time and bonding together as you race towards the finish line over the 200m race course. Each team gets three attempts to improve their race times with everyone having an equal chance of reaching the semi-finals. Over 40 crews are expected to battle it out and all will be seeking to knock Kuehne + Nagel’s ‘Brinklow Barbarians’ off their pedestal as reigning champions.

Based in Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes, ‘Calverton Capsizers’ representing Calverton Finance are regular entrants and crew manager Tasha Cox explains why the Dragon Boat Festival is the first event to go into the staff calendar every year, “We were first introduced to the Festival by a key client of ours six years ago and since then we have been hooked! We enter the Gold membership where a donation of £750 goes straight to the Festival charity. Our employees, friends and family get excited for this time of the year and, being as competitive as we are, we look to better our scores each time. Our ‘buzz’ for the race starts as soon as we sign up for the event and is a great talking point with many prospective clients. We do not have any hierarchy within Calverton and everyone gets involved including our company directors!”

All the entered teams are encouraged to raise sponsorship for MacIntyre, a national charity based in Milton Keynes that supports over 1,200 children, young people and adults who have a learning disability or autism. As well as raising vital funds, the Dragon Boat Festival will provide the charity with an opportunity to raise its profile within the corporate sector and the wider community. The top fundraisers for MacIntyre will win the Charity trophy plus a special prize meal, sponsored by Merinvest, at highly rated Melis Restaurant in Central Milton Keynes.

MacIntyre’s Head of Fundraising, Claire Kennedy, adds, “We are proud to be Festival charity as we know what a fantastic event this is for everyone who takes part and their families and friends. Every penny raised will be used to benefit the people we support in the Milton Keynes area”.

For further information and an entry form visit: www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/miltonkeynes or call Gable Events on 01780 470 718. For information about MacIntyre, visit www.macintyrecharity.org or call 01908 230100

Teams race to sign up for the Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival!

Companies, clubs and organisations from across the region are getting their teams together and signing up to take part in the eagerly anticipated Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival which celebrates its 18th anniversary this year. The Dragon Boat Festival takes place at Willen Lake on Sunday 23rd June in aid of MacIntyre and there’s plenty of time to get a crew together and guarantee a place on the start line.

Each year the Festival, supported by Business MK and MKFM, attracts a complete mix of new and returning crews. The dragon boats and qualified helms are provided by organisers Gable Events, each team is guaranteed a minimum of three races and no previous experience is needed, just plenty of team spirit. One of the first companies to sign up this year was Kuehne + Nagel who have entered three teams representing their various sites. The Kuehne + Nagel Brinklow Barbarians team will be defending their title having won the event for the first time last year, narrowly beating the ‘Dragondoliers’ team from Little Star Media into second place.

Based in Magna Park in Milton Keynes, crew manager Tracey Theobald explains why the Dragon Boat Festival is one of the highlights of the year for Kuehne + Nagel staff and their families. “It’s a great way to bring the workforce together and a tradition as Kuehne & Nagel have entered many boats over the years. Our very loud captain Ady Smith, who you can hear shouting across the lake every year, will be joined by new captain Michael Moyle who got the buzz last time and now wants to win the whole festival! We are hoping to enter one mixed boat as well if we can drum up enough interest from the ladies onsite. The event lifts staff morale, shows teamwork pays off and most importantly raises a lot of money for charity”.

Other early entrants include Gold entries from SMC Pneumatics with two teams, The Paterson Group and Little Star Media plus EDW Technology and Team (EAA Ltd). All the entered teams are encouraged to raise sponsorship for Festival charity MacIntyre, a national charity based in Milton Keynes that supports over 1,200 children, young people and adults who have a learning disability or autism. The top fundraisers for MacIntyre will win the Charity trophy plus a special prize meal, sponsored by Merinvest, at highly rated Melis Restaurant in Central Milton Keynes.

MacIntyre’s Head of Fundraising, Claire Kennedy, adds, “MacIntyre is delighted to again be the official charity for the 2019 Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival. Last year’s event was amazing and we’re really looking forward to doing it all again! Every penny raised at this event will be used to benefit people in the Milton Keynes area. The funds raised will support our sports projects which aim to make sport equally accessible for people with a learning disability and other complex needs who want to participate.”

For further information and an entry form visit: www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/miltonkeynes or call Gable Events on 01780 470 718. For information about MacIntyre, visit www.macintyrecharity.org or call 01908 230100.

 

The Dragon Boat Festival celebrates Chinese New Year

Gable Events and MacIntyre are celebrating Chinese New Year by inviting entries into the 18th Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival. This popular annual event returns to Willen Lake in Milton Keynes on Sunday 23rd June and up to 50 crews are expected to battle it out in 40’ brightly painted Chinese dragon boats over the 200m race course, watched by several thousand spectators.

An ancient Chinese history
Dragon boat racing has an ancient Chinese history, dating back 2,000 years to the Kingdom of Chu, where local fishermen used their paddles to stave off vicious fish in a valiant attempt to save drowning warrior poet Qu Yuan. Their efforts failed and in Hong Kong a Dragon Boat Festival (Tuen Ng) is held annually as a re-enactment of this tragic event.

Year of the Pig
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2019 is the year of the Pig. People born in this year are believed to be energetic, enthusiastic and blessed with good fortune – all important qualities for achieving dragon boat success in June!

Team building and fun for all
This spectacular team event takes place at Willen Lake in Milton Keynes on Sunday 23rd June and is open to everyone. Each crew comprises up to 16 paddlers, a beating drummer at the front of the boat and a steering helm (provided by organisers, Gable Events) at the tail end. The dragon boats and all racing equipment are provided, each team receives three races and no previous experience is required, just plenty of team spirit! The Festival promises a fantastic day for competitors and spectators alike, with catering and bankside entertainment for all the family between races.

A great fundraising opportunity
The Dragon Boat Festival offers an excellent opportunity to raise money for MacIntyre, a national charity based in Milton Keynes that supports over 1,200 children, young people and adults who have a learning disability or autism. For crews opting for the popular gold and silver entry packages, a significant donation to MacIntyre is included in the entry fee alongside marketing benefits such as the company logo on the sides of a dragon boat. The crew raising the most money for MacIntyre will receive a special prize meal at the acclaimed Melis Restaurant, sponsored by Merinvest – a great incentive!

Festival charity - MacIntyre
Head of Fundraising, Claire Kennedy comments, “MacIntyre is delighted to be the official charity for the 2019 Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival. Financial constraints in the social care sector mean that income we receive from fundraising is more important than ever. We use fundraised income to buy the extras that make a real and tangible difference to the people we support. Every penny received will go directly to benefit the people we support; nothing is deducted for administrative costs.”

How to join in
For further information and an entry form please visit www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/miltonkeynes or call Gable Events on 01780 470718. For information about MacIntyre, visit www.macintyrecharity.org or call 01908 230100

Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival in aid of MacIntyre is back for 2019

Entries are officially open for the annual Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival which returns to Willen Lake on Sunday 23^rd June and, organisers Gable Events, are expecting an even higher turnout this time around.

The Dragon Boat Festival, supported by Business MK and MKFM, attracts more than 50 companies annually and for the second year the teams will be raising funds for MacIntyre, a national charity based in Milton Keynes that supports over 1,200 children, young people and adults who have a learning disability or autism.

There is a great incentive for teams to raise as much sponsorship as possible as the top fundraisers will win a charity trophy and a special prize meal, sponsored by Merinvest, at Melis Restaurant. The sponsorship raised by the participating teams is expected to make a significant contribution to the funds MacIntyre needs for its vital work.

Head of Fundraising, Claire Kennedy comments, “MacIntyre is delighted to again be the official charity for the 2019 Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival. Last year’s event was amazing and we’re really looking forward to doing it all again! Every penny raised at this event will be used to benefit people in the Milton Keynes area. The funds raised will support our sports projects which aim to make sport equally accessible for people with a learning disability and other complex needs who want to participate.”

With entries now open, companies, clubs and organisations from across the region are getting their teams together to take part. They represent a complete mix of new and returning crews but all with the same aim in mind - to enjoy a fabulous day out with colleagues and friends and make a difference in their community. Enhanced Gold and Silver entry packages are available which include marketing benefits such as the company’s logo on each side of a dragon boat as well as a significant donation to MacIntyre.

To take part in the dragon boat racing and help raise money for MacIntyre, 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. There will also be a variety of bankside entertainment to enjoy such as funfair rides, children’s activities and food stalls.

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