Chasing the Dragons
Dragon Boats race for charity at Ocean Terminal
The Western Harbour at Ocean Terminal played host to one of Scotland’s biggest and most spectacular charity events when twenty eight teams paddle it out on Saturday 23rdJune 2012.
The Dragon Boat Race is jointly organised by Retail Trust, Ocean Terminal and Leith Rotary and followed last year’s successful event which raised over £15,000 for charities. This year, total funds raised will be announced in August and it’s anticipated they will be well in excess of last year’s amount.
The teams came from all over Scotland and were drawn from businesses, public sector teams, charities and voluntary sector and communities. Retail teams were enthusiastic participants in the event –both as fundraisers and out on the water-Matalan, House of Fraser and Debenhams all took part, with Debenhams skilled paddlers taking 3rdplace overall.
Michelle Macleod, Deputy Centre Manager at Ocean Terminal, who was paddling in Retail Trust boat said,
‘Retail Trust has become more and more involved in Dragon Boat racing over the years. It’s a fantastic spectacle and great fun for participant and spectator alike - which is not to say that the competition was anything other than deadly serious. All were paddling with one aim in mind – to make it to the final and win.
‘But even those who were not first over the finishing line knew that the nominated charities were winners.
‘We were delighted to host the action at Ocean Terminal. Not many shopping centres have the facilities to provide a racing environment for the boats and to look after spectators in our restaurants, cafes and bars.
‘Our relationship with the local community is vital to our success. The Dragon Boat Regatta is perfect way to engage with the local population. Organising the event with Leith Rotary enhances our relationship with local businesses, and staging the racing in the harbour adjacent to the centre helps to showcase our facilities no matter what the weather.
Nigel J L Rothband Chief Executive from Retail Trust said,
‘Retail Trust was proud to be able to help organise an event like this. Individual shops are renowned for their generosity and enterprise in supporting charities. We are also very aware of how much we depend on the communities we serve, and to be able to put something back on this scale is a great privilege. It is a way of demonstrating the contribution that retailers make to the life of their communities in a very practical and worthwhile way.
‘The day was a huge success – great fun, but also a phenomenal fund-raising exercise.’
‘Stephanie Donaghey from Leith Rotary Club, partners in the event added,
‘It was a great day for Leith, and made the most of our spectacular water-side setting and drew on the amazing community spirit that we have here. The Dragon Boat Regatta was a great example of what a bunch of enthusiasts can do and we’re very grateful to all the partners that helped to float the event this year. It was a fantastic mid-summer day out for the family and it’s hard to imagine better ways of raising so much money by having so much fun.’
The teams competing were paddling like fury to raise money and awareness for many different charities. And behind each boat there was a personal story –
Scott Gibson from Edinburgh was inspired by his daughter Laura, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2010 when she was fifteen. Refusing to be cowed by the disease, Laura has shared her story in an inspiring and funny blog about her life and treatment since diagnosis – http://laurasroadtorecovery.blogspot.co.uk/.
Thankfully, and due to the amazing support of The Royal Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh and with the help of charities such as Its Good2Give and Teenage Cancer Trust, and after 10 months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Laura was told in December 2011 that she was in ‘remission’. She undergoes monthly checks at the moment and thankfully remains this way.
Dad’s participation in the Dragon Boat Race was a thank you to The Royal Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh and charities such as Its Good2Give and Teenage Cancer Trust who have been part of Laura’s recovery. And it was a tribute to Laura’s own courage and will.
The Port Edgar Dragons team are based at Port Edgar, South Queensferry and were fundraising for Maggie's Cancer Centre, Edinburgh. They were no strangers to the Dragon Boat, they have their own boat, Isla May, and were established with support from the Paddlers for Paddlers cancer support network. Most of the crew have experience of cancer and as well as raising money for cancer charities they are racing to raise awareness of the benefits of exercise for cancer prevention and therapy.
The Citadel Vikings from Leith entered three teams and raised money to help give children and young people in difficult circumstances trips, outings and holidays. Their teams were reinforced by a number of current and past councilors from the area, including ex-Provost Robert Munn.
Quay-side and water-borne entertainments on the day included Sphering, a Highland Cow mini, an IrnBru Bus and a children’s Chinese dance performance in the afternoon.
ENDS
Contact
Ali O’Neale Cloudline PR 0131 553 6660 or 07889 016094
T: 020 8358 7258
jpaton@retailtrust.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
Retail Trust (registered charity numbers 1090136 and SC039684) is the only charity that looks after the needs of all 3 million people working in retail and currently provides grants and services of approximately £1.5 million per annum to people who are working in or have worked in the retail industry or associated businesses.
The Retail Trust Helpline is a free and confidential service that provides vital support and a range of services including: free counselling, free legal advice, free debt advice, redundancy support through their ReWork programme, hardship grants, course funding, as well as retirement housing for retired retailers throughout the UK. The Retail Trust Helpline can be accessed online at www.retailtrust.org.uk/help, by calling 0808 801 0808, emailing helpline@retailtrust.org.uk or by texting the word ‘HELPLINE’ to 88010* with any request or query.
In the past year alone, requests coming through to The Retail Trust Helpline for counselling have increased by 125%. Retail staff needing debt advice has increased by 50%. Requests for redundancy support are up 40%, and demand for critical incident support has grown by a massive 229%.
ReWork is a Retail Trust service for people who have been made redundant from retail. The programme (worth over £1,000) helps users identify a career path that suits their needs and can help find potential employers. ReWork offers access to a free Guide to Resolving Redundancy, free Personal Career Coaching and Resolving Redundancy Workshops.
The Retail Trust Employee Assistance Programme is the only EAP that is designed specifically for retailers by retailers and is run exclusively for retail and associated businesses. Retail Trust currently has over 120 EAP partners throughout the retail sector and associated businesses and currently looks after over 777,000 staff. www.retailtrust.org.uk/eap
Follow us on twitter @RetailTrust
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/RetailTrust
Ocean Terminal
Ocean Terminal offers a unique shopping experience in Edinburgh , overlooking the River Forth and its harbour, with over 70 shops and 1600 free covered parking spaces. The indoor centre has a diverse range of shops from small specialist boutiques to popular high street outlets, gym and spas as well as bars, restaurants, cafes and a multi screen Vue cinema.
For more information go to www.oceanterminal.com
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