COME ON BOARD FRIENDS OF THE CANCER CENTRE’S ANNUAL BOAT RACE

Photo Caption : Friends of the Cancer Centre encourage teams to get on board for their annual Dragon Boat Race whilst event sponsors, Warmflow, are turning up the heat on the competition. Claire Hogarth, Friends of the Cancer Centre’s Fundraising Manager joins Brian Beattie, Warmflow’s Head of Marketing and GB Sales (right) to encourage teams to register to take part in the Dragon Boat Race and make a difference to local people affected by cancer.

Friends of the Cancer Centre encourage teams to get on board for their annual Dragon Boat Race whilst event sponsors, Warmflow, are turning up the heat on the competition. Claire Hogarth, Friends of the Cancer Centre’s Fundraising Manager joins Brian Beattie, Warmflow’s Head of Marketing and GB Sales (right) to encourage teams to register to take part in the Dragon Boat Race and make a difference to local people affected by cancer.

Local cancer charity, Friends of the Cancer Centre and boiler manufacturer, Warmflow are calling on local businesses, family and friends to take part in its 6th annual Dragon Boat Race which takes place on Saturday, 24th June.

The annual Dragon Boat Race takes place at Cutters Wharf and is a great way for friends, family or work colleagues to come together, have fun whilst raising money for local cancer patients. A Dragon Boat Team is made up of 17 crew members and teams will compete against each other on the river Lagan to be awarded Dragon Boat Champions 2017.

This year, the charity is delighted to have local boiler manufacturing company, Warmflow, partnering with us for the Dragon Boat Race.

Brian Beattie, Head of marketing and GB sales at Warmflow, said:

“Warmflow has been heating homes across the UK for almost 50 years with innovative home heating products and we are hoping to turn up the heat of the competition in the Dragon Boat Race whilst raising even more money for local patients and their families affected by cancer. As a family run business, everyone at Warmflow feels it is important to support families in our local community. Friends of the Cancer Centre is a charity close to our hearts as it has supported many of our staff, their families and friends.”

Friends of the Cancer Centre, based at the heart of the Cancer Centre at Belfast City Hospital, is one of the leading cancer charities in Northern Ireland working to support cancer patients and their families through key projects in the areas of clinical care, patient comforts, and research. Friends of the Cancer Centre is currently funding 32 additional staff in the Cancer Centre, including doctors, nurses and researchers and the charity is committed to raising at least £5 million over the next three years to fund on-going and new projects which will continue to support local cancer patients.

Fundraising Manager at Friends of the Cancer Centre, Claire Hogarth said:

“Our annual Dragon Boat Race is a great day out and a great way of getting people together, having fun whilst raising money for local cancer patients and their families. Last year we had 17 teams take to the river Lagan and this year we want to make it bigger and better. Warmflow have taken part in the boat race before but to have them as the event partner is fantastic and will enable us to put more money into the Cancer Centre.”

Registration for the event is £10 per person and each participant is asked to raise a suggested minimum sponsorship of £50 for the charity. Participants must be over 14 years of age. If you would like to enter a Dragon Boat team, email info@friendsofthecancercentre.com or call 028 9069 9393 to find out more.

For further information please contact Nuala Bannon, Communications Manager at Friends of the Cancer Centre on 028 9069 9393 or email nuala.bannon@belfasttrust.hscni.net


Further information

About the Dragon Boat Race

  • The Dragon Boat Race will take place on Saturday 24th June 2017
  • A Dragon Boat Team is made up of a maximum of 17 crew members
  • Registration for the event is £10 per person and participants are asked to raise a suggested minimum sponsorship of £50 for the charity
  • The Dragon Boat Race will take place on the River Lagan and teams will set off from Cutter’s Wharf

About Friends of the Cancer Centre

  • Friends of the Cancer Centre is one of the leading local cancer charities in Northern Ireland
  • The charity relies entirely on donations and the generosity of people across Northern Ireland
  • Every year, Friends of the Cancer Centre uses the funds raised by its supporters to fund vital projects that have a real and lasting impact on the lives of cancer patients and their families.
  • In the last year alone, Friends of the Cancer Centre has put £1.4 million into local cancer services in Northern Ireland
  • The work of Friends of the Cancer Centre focuses on three key areas:
  • Patient comfort and care: Friends of the Cancer Centre provides small, everyday comforts throughout the Cancer Centre, including newspapers, magazines, tea and coffee in patient day rooms and waiting areas; complementary therapy and relaxation classes for patients and carers; small grants which can provide a lifeline at an already stressful time as well as refurbishing patient day rooms which can provide a patient with space away from their hospital bed to spend time with family and friends.
  • Clinical care: Friends of the Cancer Centre funds 32 additional key staff within the Cancer Centre, including a number of doctors, Clinical Nurses Specialists, researchers and many more.
  • Research: Friends of the Cancer Centre is Northern Ireland’s leading charity funding cancer research locally. It is a partner with the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, the Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Centre and over the next three years, it has pledged to continue its support of lifesaving research which will benefit patient’s right here in Northern Ireland.