2022 Dragon Boat Race was a fantastic day despite wet weather

On Sunday 15th May the Woking & Sam Beare Hospice Dragon Boat Races and Family Fun Day took place at Goldsworth Park Lake. Trident Honda is proud to be the main sponsor for the event.

Last held in 2019, 17 teams signed up for the event including our own 'Trident Otters'. Despite the wet weather the event was very well attended by friends, family as well as by the local community, all of whom cheered on the teams from the banks of the lake.

Each team took on three heats before the final three with the fastest overall times went through to the final. The three finalists were Seymour's Estate Agents - Woking, Burns Kitchen and Bathrooms, and Natta Building Company - the reigning champions from 2019. It was a nail-biting final race with hundredths of a second between all three teams; so when they came back to shore no-one knew who would be crowned Dragon Boat Champions 2022.

To present the medals and trophy were Sue Cook and Richard Roberts. Sue Cook is the mother of Kris Cook, for whom the dragon boat races are held in memory, after he passed away during the Prudential Bike ride in 2014, whilst fundraising for the hospice. Richard Roberts is the managing director of Trident Honda, the main event sponsor. Richard is also a trustee of the hospice.

The champions for 2022 were Seymour's Estate Agents, 2nd place went to Natta Building Company, and 3rd place to Burns Kitchen and Bathrooms.

Krista Lougher, Community Events Fundraising Manager, commented:

It has been a fantastic day despite the wet weather. We would like to thank all the teams who took part and are still raising money for us as they collect their sponsorship. To the local community for braving the weather and who still came out to enjoy the fun day. And of course to all the staff and volunteers who help make these events possible. It was so good to be back after such a long break and we are looking forward to 2023.

Team Names

• Seymour's Estate Agents- Woking
• Derek's Dragon - In memory of Derek Demuth who was cared for at the hospice in 2018
• Trident's Otters - Trident Honda who also sponsored the event
• Field Care Centre
• The Cardinals Crazy Crew - Cardinals Netball Club
• Natta Building Company
• Emergy Rockers - Emergy Fit in memory of Liz Horne
• The Cricketers Horsell
• Toad Hall Nursery
• RAMS
• Burns Kitchen and Bathrooms
• The Pink Ladies
• Drowning Dragons
• Team KC - in memory of Kris Cook
• Hospice Heroes - staff, volunteers and friends and family from the hospice
• Clandon Wood
• McDonalds Marvels - who presented the hospice with a cheque for over £3,680 on the day

About the Woking & Sam Beare Hospices

• We deliver 8,760 hours of care and support each year
• Our team of specialist healthcare professionals care for our patients 24 hours per day, seven days per week
• We care for thousands of patients and their families year on year
• Over 80% of our care is delivered in patient homes or care or nursing homes
• We receive referrals from Spelthorne, West Elmbridge, Woking, North Guildford, Surrey Heath and Runnymede but we can take patients outside of our region if required
• We are specialists in care for patients with advanced progressive complex needs
• We care for patients with, for example, advance dementia, heart disease, cancer, degenerative conditions and kidney disease
• We care for adults of all ages (18-85+)
• Our services are completely FREE of charge
• We offer support services for carers and family members
• We provide child and teenage bereavement counselling
• Our Wellbeing Centre offers a range of treatments and therapies
• We have 816 fabulous volunteers, without whom we could not deliver all that we do
• We work closely with GPs and other clinicians to share knowledge and expertise
• For every £5 of costs incurred we need to raise £4 from voluntary income
• We need to raise in excess of £8 million a year to continue to deliver our services

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