I have now been the MP for Northampton North for over six years – and in that time I have tried to attend as many different community events as possible. One of the events I have had the pleasure of going to every year as MP – and also for several years before becoming an MP – is the annual Rotary Dragon Boat race, now based at Billing Aquadrome, where amateur competitors in Dragon Boats paddle against each other in a race!
Each boat holds 10 paddlers, and no fewer than 47 boats participated. Every boat and every paddler raises a substantial amount of sponsorship money to participate, which support charities. The event raised £33,000 for Rotary Charities and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance - which helps bring people to hospitals in emergencies. The total money raised after 12 years of this event is now an impressive £250,000.
I was very pleased to give prizes to the worthy winners of this event, and I was happy to hear that so much money has been raised for the worthy causes this race supports.