Dragon Boat Festival supports LNAA appeal

The Lincoln Dragon Boat Festival will return to the Brayford Waterfront on Saturday 11th July raising money for the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) Mission Possible 2 Appeal – helping fund a second life-saving helicopter.

The popular event, organised in partnership with Ringrose Law, brings together all ages for fun on the water with teams representing businesses and community groups, who this year will be supporting the LNAA’s life-saving missions with their efforts.

The second helicopter will enable the LNAA to respond to two emergencies at the same time in any corner of Lincolnshire or Nottinghamshire.

Rachel Wilson, Head of Community, Corporate and Events, explained: “Over recent years demand for our services has increased by 135%. May was our busiest month ever with the crew attending a total of 187 missions, averaging six missions a day – up from the usual five.

“However, with only have one helicopter to cover both counties, sadly we know there are patients that we can’t currently reach as our crew are deployed elsewhere. We call these ‘missed missions’.

“To reduce the number of missed missions we’ve launched our Mission Possible 2 Appeal to raise £7m for a second helicopter which will enable our critical care paramedics and doctors to be by the side of around 400 additional patients each year.”

There’s plenty more for youngsters to enjoy on the day, including balloon modelling, hook a dragon, face painting, temporary tattoos, a 3D printing shed and a human fruit machine! Lincolnshire Fire Service will be on hand to give an insight into their work, and there will be a chance to enjoy activities led by Guiding Sparks Circus with Boris the Dragon and his friends.

Lincoln Rock Choir will fill the air with their spirited renditions of classic songs, and the Odeon Cinema will be hosting a special screening of How to Train your Dragon at 9.30am.

Local businesses have also generously contributed to a special Dragon Trail, with the chance for visitors to pick up a special discount booklet packed with vouchers from restaurants and hotels along the Brayford. Starting at the LNAA pop-up stand in the Waterside Shopping Centre, the trail will guide participants to a selection of retail outlets, finishing at the Odeon. At each location, participants can scan a code to reveal a letter. Once all the letters have been collected and the mystery word has been correctly spelled, they will receive their booklet. Those who complete the Dragon Trail will also be entered into a prize draw to win a VIP trip for four people to LNAA HQ.

To find out more about the Lincoln Dragon Boat Festival, visit ambucopter.org.uk/lincoln-dragon-boat-festival or to donate to the Mission Possible 2 Appeal, visit ambucopter.org.uk/mission-possible-2-appeal

Image credit: David Harrison – courtesy of Shooting Star PR