The Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival has been a top event in Milton Keynes calendar for nearly 10 years now. We have previously entered the Dragon Boat race and the decision was made that it was time for Redline to take it to the next level. So with a sense of excitement, mixed with a little bit of trepidation, we began the preparation. Luckily for us we’re a competitive bunch here at Redline and soon had our full quota of 16 people to paddle the 40’ boat including the all-important drummer to keep the beat. We had a couple of practise sessions which went well and then the day was upon us.Obviously the first thing any of us did was to draw back our curtains and breathe a sigh of relief – it was sunny! It really is a great day out for everyone; not just for those racing but for spectators relaxing around the stunning Willen Lake.
Our loyal support team was made up of Redline friends and family who gathered to cheers us on and enjoy an impressively large barbeque and a beverage or two. However, there was no time for our team to relax! Dragon boat racing is an ancient Chinese tradition which reaches as far back through history as the original Olympic Games. There were 60 crews and we had to compete over a 200m race course whilst the audience of thousands cheered us on. It really was a great opportunity for us to work together as a team outside the office. There were three heats and we were doing well in the first two but sadly we didn’t do so well in the final heat. In the end we were placed a respectable 28th out of 60. Whilst we didn’t win we did have a fantastic time and we’re very proud to have raised £300 for Willen Hospice.
Willen Hospice is an independent charity and they provide complex and individual care to adults from Milton Keynes with life limiting illnesses. All the services are provided free by a highly skilled team of professionals. Aaron Keep who helped to organise the Redline team said “It really was a brilliant day. We’re quite a social company so this sort of event is perfect for us – competition and beer, what more do you need? We’re currently thinking about events for next year so all suggestions are welcome!