The last Sunday in July brought with it sunshine, cheers and a whole lot of fun as two teams from Baldwin Boxall took to the River Ouse in Lewes, East Sussex, to take part in the Lewes to Newhaven Raft Race – all in the name of charity.
This year’s event marked the race’s 50th anniversary and teams were challenged to interpret the theme “50” however they saw fit. True to form, Baldwin Boxall brought creativity, commitment and a touch of chaos to the water.
Wave Warriors Ride Again!
Official raft number 3, led by Nick Baldwin, the Wave Warriors paid tribute to the 1975 Grand National in style. With Nick dressed in a horse costume and the rest of the team donning jockey outfits, their raft galloped its way down the river, charming the crowd and securing the title of ‘Best decorated raft’. They also fittingly received the honour of ‘Last over the finish line’ – a slow but steady finish worthy of a true champion steed.
Water Babe Warriors Surf into the Future
Meanwhile, the Water Babe Warriors, led by Dean Rose, took a more imaginative approach to their raft. Dean penned a short sci-fi story imagining a futuristic look back at the Lewes raft race and music festival. One team member channeled the Silver Surfer, while others wielded dustbin lids as shields, fending off the eggs and flour enthusiastically hurled by spectators from the riverbanks.
Despite the barrage of eggs, tomatoes and flour, both teams embraced the spirit of the event, dodging, deflecting and laughing their way down the river. While the Wave Warriors completed the course in full, the Water Babe Warriors met a slightly soggier fate – half submerged in the Ouse by Southease. Their rescue, underscored by the Titanic theme song booming from their onboard PA system, had spectators in stitches.
Fundraising for our Local Community
The two teams raised an impressive £4,500 in support of their chosen charities; WOLO (We Only Live Once), the Children’s Respite Trust and the RNLI, the chosen charity of the Lewes Roundtable.
With plans already underway for the 2026 race, the Baldwin Boxall teams are looking to join forces and combine their engineering genius to build one raft strong enough to go the distance and hopefully secure a win!
