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Dragon boat charity success

Lunsford Primary School team
Lunsford Primary School team

A team from Lunsford Primary School were triumphant at the KM's Dragon Boat Race.

They won the Maidstone heat and took third place in the grand final at the first KM Dragon Boat Race on Sunday, October 4.
The rowers, pictured above, also raised around £1,800 for the Aylesford school, which will help fund a new cookery section.
A team from Hyde Housing Association at Maidstone, pictured right, will be boosting the funds of the children’s road safety department of the KM Charity Team, with £1,000 pledged in sponsorship.
Sixteen teams, many of them in fancy dress, took part in a series of races at the Arethusa Water Sport Centre, Chatham Maritime, cheered on by a crowd of 500.
Cllr Phil Filmer, from Medway Council, joined Queen Boudicca, from event sponsor Iceni, the mineral water company, to officially start the event by painting the eyes on the dragon figurehead on one of the longboats.
The ceremony is supposed to waken the dragon spirits and give competitors extra determination to win.
Event organiser Simon Dolby, from the KM Charity Team, said the day was a fantastic success, raising more than £30,000 for Kent charities.
He added: “In future years this annual event will always be held on the first Sunday of July.
“The event team is so pleased this has helped good causes and charities in Kent to raise vital funds.”
As well as a range of fancy dress outfits a splash of colour and culture was added by two dancing lions operated by members of Medway Dragon and Lion Dance Sports Association.
Support
Teams of competitors came from the four corners of the county but it was a team from the Royal Engineers based in Medway who took top honours winning both the Medway final and Kent final.
As well as Arethusa Water Sports Centre a number of other organizations provided practical support to help stage the event including Maidstone-based Mercy Ambulance Service, Holdfast and Hyde Housing Association.
For more information on the KM dragon boat race go to www.kmcharitychallenge.co.uk

Hyde Housing Association team
Hyde Housing Association team
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