Could you be dragon boat racer?

TEAMS from Halton and Warrington hospitals are on the lookout for willing candidates to pick up a paddle and take part in a Cheshire dragon boat race this June.

The contest, at Manley Mere on Sunday, June 18, is open to all.

Warrington And Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ( WHH) has invited other organisations and companies to enter teams to see who claims the title of top dragon.

WHH’s competitors will be racing to raise cash for its charity Children’s Ward Making Waves campaign, which is raising much-needed funds to revamp the paediatric department’s outdoor play area to give young patients and visitors fresh air and somewhere to either relax or let off steam at the Warrington site.

The event is on from 10am-2pm at Manley Mere near Helsby.

All equipment will be provided but a trust spokeswoman said dragon racers must have ‘ enthusiasm, energy and humour’ to make sure all have a good time win or lose.

One of the groups taking part in the dragon boat race is from the trust’s transformation team.

Stephen Bennett, head of transformation, said: “The transformation team here at WHH has recently been established with the aim of driving innovation, delivering improvement and supporting change.

“Our team has been brought together from a range of different professional backgrounds under a shared purpose of wanting to make our trust the best that it can be.

“The trust and its associated charity exist to provide healthcare for a large number of patients, employment for over 3,000 staff and support for a large number of businesses and external organisations in and around Warrington and Halton.

“We believe that if every single person connected with this organisation was able to give back some support either financially or even just through giving their time, the possibilities for the organisation could be endless and the WHH staff and communities in and around Warrington and Halton could help create a healthcare facility they are truly proud of.

“Our team are looking to participate in the dragon boat race to show our commitment and support to the WHH charity that are looking to transform the children’s ward here at the trust.” ● To enquire about taking part on June 18, call 01925 662 666 or email helen. higginson@whh.nhs.uk