On Sunday 27th July, two teams from Baldwin Boxall will take to the waters of the River Ouse in an attempt to sail their hand-built rafts, seven miles to Newhaven, in a bid to be crowned winners of the 50th annual Lewes Raft Race.
The race will begin at Malling Recreational Ground in Lewes at 3pm and follow the River Ouse to finish at Newhaven’s swing bridge. We are hopeful to see all of the team members atop the rafts in Newhaven later that afternoon!
The Water Babe Warriors (official raft number 2), assembled their raft using metal, barrels and surf boards, whilst the Wave Warriors (official raft number 3), utilised wood and barrels after a rethink on the buoyancy aspect of their build.
The teams have put their building skills to the test and are fundraising for two incredibly important charities; WOLO and the Children’s Respite Trust.
WOLO (We Only Live Once) is a Sussex-based charity which helps families affected by and living with Cancer by providing practical help, support and financial assistance. During turbulent times, their support offers a vital lifeline for many families and we are honoured to be supporting them.
The Children’s Respite Trust, is also a Sussex-based charity very close to our hearts and provides support to families raising children with disabilities. The care provided for the children takes place both in their homes by the Trust’s support workers and also outside, around Sussex and the surrounding areas, including time spent at the respite’s day centre, located in Uckfield.
Whilst a great chance for all teams to enjoy what promises to be a fantastic day out, the raft race provides a platform to highlight important charities in the local area. The chosen charities being supported by the race itself are the Newhaven Life Boats and Sussex Search and Rescue.
Competing against 30 other teams in rafts built from a wide variety of textiles, the teams are quietly confident that they will make it the whole seven miles, so watch this space for updates!
If you are local to Sussex and eager to show your support, do come down to cheer us on from the banks of the River Ouse!
You can also show your support by way of donation, if you have a few pounds to spare. We would be most grateful and we are thrilled to be able to support these important charities and the fantastic work that they do.
Donations can be made here:
WOLO Foundation
The Children’s Respite Trust
