Easycopiers and MacIntyre launch the ninth Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival

The Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival is the largest one-day dragon boat event in the country, attracting 60 teams and more than 14,000 spectators. Last year the Festival sold out well before the closing date and, if the interest already generated this time around is anything to go by, the ninth Festival taking place at Willen Lake on Sunday 4th July should be another spectacular success!

Easycopiers is sponsoring the Dragon Boat Festival for the second year in 2010. Based not far from Willen Lake in Blakelands, Easycopiers is a local supplier of electronic business equipment and software solutions, choosing to work with Canon, Ricoh and Samsung as the market leaders in supplying and building the latest in leading edge technology. Easycopiers Managing Director, Adam Macintyre, comments, “We take great pride in being a community focused business and are always keen to support local and national charities when possible. After participating in the Dragon Boat Festival two years ago we felt that we would like to be more involved, hence we took on the commitment to sponsor the Festival for three years”.

Dragon boat racing has an ancient Chinese history dating back 2,000 years and according to the Chinese calendar, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. Traditionally, the Tiger displays attributes of courage and fearlessness, which coincidentally are perfect traits for dragon boat crew members! Exciting, colourful and great fun, no previous experience is needed to take part just plenty of team spirit! The dragon boats and all the necessary racing equipment are provided and each crew is guaranteed a minimum of three races. What’s more, the Festival offers a full day of fun both on land and water with a wide variety of activities on the bankside to keep everyone entertained between races including music from Festival supporter Heart 103.3.

As well as a great day out for all the family and the legendary team building benefits of dragon boat racing, entering a team also offers a superb opportunity to raise money for charity and The Swan at Salford has kindly donated a celebratory lunch with wine in a private room for the team that raises the most money for this year’s official Festival charity, MacIntyre.

MacIntyre provides support for more than 900 children and adults with learning disabilities nationwide at more than 120 service centres. Their diverse range of services includes registered care homes, supported living schemes, accredited training schemes and lifelong learning services, as well as residential special schools and a further education college. Every service is personally tailored to each individual to ensure that they have as much control over their own life and choices as possible. MacIntyre is a hugely worthwhile and far-reaching service, so why not accept the challenge and race in a dragon boat for them?

Bill Mumford, Managing Director of MacIntyre, comments, “We are thrilled that MacIntyre has been selected as the nominated charity for the 2010 Dragon Boat Festival. Easycopiers is a successful and dynamic Milton Keynes based company and their support is particularly welcome in helping us to enable local people with learning disabilities to use media and the arts to talk about the things that matter most to them”.

For further information or to request an entry form for the Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival, please visit www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/miltonkeynes or call Gable Events on 01780 470 718.