Cambridge Edition April 2022 - Web

LOCAL L I FE

Dragon Boat Festival 2022 RETURNING AFTER A TWO-YEAR BREAK, WE GET TO KNOW THE NEW FACES BEHIND THIS ULTIMATE TEAM-BUILDING EVENT

WORDS BY MIRIAM BALANESCU

et to hit the water on 10 September, Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival is now in its 16th year, and has recently experienced a shake-up. Formerly run by Gable Events, its management retired during lockdown, passing the baton to senior event managers Alicja Mierzejewska and Lucy Morton, who together founded NewWave. Turning the tide for Dragon Boat Festival, NewWave will be continuing the legacy left by its previous organisers, staying true to this eclectic Cambridge tradition. After spotting a gap for team- building and fundraising activities in Cambridge, Dragon Boat Festival was founded – an event that quite literally puts colleagues in the same boat. To take part, a team of up to ten are seated in one 30ft boat and handed a paddle. As the race begins, a drummer at the front beats the time, while the helm at the back keeps boaters on course. A scoreboard tracks each team’s progression across the 200m, while families watching from the banks huddle around. About 40 teams are expected to take part this year, raising money for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust. Surrounded by the bucolic Ditton Meadows in Fen Ditton, those steering clear of the boats will still have lots to do. “There’s fairground rides and food available,” says Alicja. “If families just want a day out, it’s like a mini festival.

IT’S A GREAT WAY TO BOND AND GAIN SOMETHING IN COMMON

“You don’t need any experience at all,” Lucy says. “It’s absolutely for novices, for fun and team-building – but also to fundraise for charity.” Several companies participate year on year, while NewWave has incorporated most of the previous team at Gable Events, meaning many old and new faces will be there. For those nervous about setting sail, there is little to fear. “Don’t overthink it,” advises Lucy. “It’s always good to be competitive, but it’s all wholehearted fun. Just come on the day with an open mind. We’ll show you all the tips and tricks, so you don’t have to worry. Our helms will train you up and demonstrate exactly how to paddle – there’s not much to it.” After being shown the ropes, there are lion dance performances, gazebos for hire and much more to keep you entertained. With this new wave in the event’s history, Alicja and Lucy have big plans ahead. “If the festival grows, we’re going to try and put more online entertainment in, and do a lot more on social media. We want to create a feature event for companies to put in the calendar as soon as announced.”

They can watch the races during the day, have a picnic and enjoy the music.” Even those not in attendance can take part. “People who would like to follow what happens can access it via the website, scanning a QR code. They will be able to see not only the programme, but also the online results. We created the portal because of Covid-19 precautions, so everyone would not gather around the scoreboard. However, it means if individuals from a company can’t attend, but still want to see how they’re doing, they can check in online.” Dragon boat racing, both thrilling yet undemanding, is one of the fastest-growing water activities in Britain – NewWave already successfully runs festivals across the country, from London to Nottingham. “There are a lot of team-building activities out there, but they have a bad reputation,” Alicja explains. “Dragon boat racing is unique. People don’t realise, but they get to know each other better when spending the day together in a boat. It’s a great way to bond and gain something in common – like winning the race!”

KNOWTHE HISTORY Dragon boats date back to ancient China – and in 2007, the country added the Dragon Boat Festival to its list of national holidays

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