Charity fundraiser is just oar-some
Messing about on the river has turned out to be a record breaker for a Shropshire charity.
Delighted Macmillan organisers are over the moon that this year's Coracle World Championships raised £45,000.
Nearly 50 teams took to the River Severn in Shrewsbury back in September.
Last year, the event which is held at the Pengwern Boat Club, raised £33,700 so the charity was delighted to have topped that figure. Over the years, the race - which is now in its 11th year - has raised £276,000.
Kate Thomas, Macmillan fundraising manager for Shropshire said response to the event had been 'phenomenal' and the charity was overwhelmed with the amount raised.
"It was fantastic and we are absolutely delighted," said Kate. "We did not expect to raise this amount of money and we were so lucky with the teams taking part.
"Galliers, who were our headline sponsors, not only raised a great deal of money as a team, they also raised around £6,000 by fundraising.
"A lot of the teams also did additional fundraising which was fabulous. On the day, although the weather was a bit damp, there was a fantastic atmosphere. People really entered in the spirit of things, they dressed up - amongst the teams we we had a Wizard of Oz team, Scooby Doo and Mexicans - and there was great fun camaraderie between all of them.
"McMillan Masonry of Church Stretton won for the fourth year in a row, so the race is on now to beat them."
The Coracle Committee have decided that all the money raised from the event will be ploughed back in to cancer care in Shropshire. "It is very much a county event," added Kate. "There was a great desire for the money to be spent in Shropshire and this is something we will do."
