Newark Dragon Boat Festival Volunteers Needed

Volunteers Needed

More than 100 volunteers are needed to help with the Newark Dragon Boat Festival on Sunday 19th September.

Volunteer co-ordinator with Beaumond House Hospice Care, Lucy Millard, said the volunteers will be crucial to the event’s success. “They played a vital role when it was held for the first time and we are looking for even more volunteers to help us this time,” she said. The organisers have decided to have three shifts for the volunteers – 9 to 12.30; 12 to 3.30 and 3 to the end of the day. “For the last festival we had two longer shifts but we felt that by having three shorter ones it will hopefully encourage more people to help us out, ” she said. The biggest need is for river marshals – more than 30 are needed for each shift to ensure the safety of visitors on both sides of the river bank. Volunteers are also needed to help with carparking and litter picking to ensure the site is left clean and tidy at the end of the day. “The festival is very much a community event, helping to raise money for two essential local charities, ” said Lucy. “So we are appealing to the community to come and help us by giving a little of their time. ” Rachel Wilson – CBC Fundraising and Marketing Manager, says “The local community have always been so generous volunteering to help and I am constantly overwhelmed by how many people give us their time and expertise, we simply can’t organise the event without this support. In 2019 we had more than 70 volunteers involved in the Dragon Boat Festival and I hope that we can build further on this level of support this year. We can promise you some fun, some great company and the feel good factor of helping two local charities.

Are you able to help? If so email her at lucy.millard@beaumondhouse.co.uk or rachel@childrensbereavementcentre.co.uk For further details please call 01636 610556 or visit www.beaumondhouse.co.uk

A new campaign to find 100 young Hospice Heroes is launched today, following the on-going Hospice Hearts project.

The aim is to sign up 100 children, aged three to 11, who will each raise £100 for Beaumond House Hospice Care by doing 100 challenges. Michelle Baker (Crafty Betty) has made a super hero mask and cape for the charity’s Sunshine Bear who is helping to promote the campaign. Robert Brown of Eakring has produced a short video starring Sunshine Bear which is available for primary schools and children’s groups. Head of Fundraising and marketing Cathy Lowe said Beaumond House was keen to encourage children to get involved and help them understand more about the hospice and its work. “This campaign is a great way to children to keep busy over the summer holidays and also help to teach them the importance of helping others,” she said. “Our video and promotional leaflet have challenge suggestions, but we hope that children will come up with their own fun ideas.” To take part children must register with the hospice and they need to bring the money they have raised to Beaumond House by September 3. Each Hospice Hero who completes their challenges will receive a mini Hospice Hero bear and a thank-you certificate which will be presented at the Newark Dragon Boat Festival on September 19.

To register and find out more, visit www.beaumondhouse.co.uk/hospice-heroes where you can download a sponsor form or set up a JustGiving page. Or call 01636 610556 or email fundraising@beaumondhouse.co.uk for further information.

FURTHER INFORMATION Beaumond House is a registered charity that has been committed to providing supportive palliative care to patients and their families living in Newark and district since 1987. We have four in-patient beds for people with palliative care needs, day therapy as well as a Hospice at Home service providing compassionate support in the community. We also offer a Resource and Information Service based at Beaumond House. Each year we provide care for over 550 patients and support to their families, caring for around 100 patients at any one time. All of our direct care services are provided free. Each year we need around £1 million and around 40% of this is provided by the NHS whilst the rest is kindly funded by the community of Newark and district. We are fully registered with the Care Quality commission. 70% of our patients suffer from cancer, whilst we support patients with life-limiting illnesses such as Parkinson's disease, Motor Neurone disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Anyone can make a patient referral to Beaumond House. To find out more call 01636 610556. www.beaumondhouse.co.uk