W.L. West & Sons Ltd.

2005 Rother Raft Race

2004 Rother Raft Race

Macmillan Rother Raft Race

25th Anniversary Year 2006

STOP PRESS

The grand total of £5350.00 was presented to Macmillan Cancer Support on Tuesday 14 November 2006. Thank you all for your support.

Sunday 27 August 2006

After an encouraging increase is numbers last year, this year was a little disappointing with nearly 30% less rafts at 56. But that didn't stop this years entrants having a ball of a time.

Entries came from all and sundry, with the furthest entry coming from one of Her Majesty's ships in Bahrain.

Macmillan Cancer Support is the main charity this year, with Easebourne scouts again benifiting from the proceeds of the barbeque that they provided. Sadly because of the downturn in rafts, the takings are down with currently a little under £6000 being raised.

The organisers are disappointed at the turnout, but adament that the event MUST carry on. It is impractical to run the event with under 50 rafts, so the organisers are appealing to everyone, past entrants and new ones to make a renewed effort in 2007. This is with both increased entry's and more assistance with the event. If you think you can help with 'HANDS ON' assistance, give Robin Shapland a call, he can be reached on 01798 343293.

On a brighter note, lots of fun was had SPIRIT FM did a grand job promoting the event, and have promised to enter a raft next year. Paul Williams from Spirit started the event, you will be able to see their photo's of the event very soon on www.spiritfm.net .

To the pictures, the following are a selection of the days fun.

Again rafts camein all sorts of fancy dress, here the Good Fellas limber up for the race, they didn't put in any record times..... but they did finish.

The Well Red Devils were certainly seeing red before the event, but managed a respectable 1'57" finish time.

Organiser Rob Shapland and his boss Angela! Joking apart Rob does and enormous amout of work to get this event off the ground, together with Ron Dudman.

Spirit FM's Paul Williams was the official starter for the race.

The race is taken very seriously, Her Majesty's Raft Hood was a fine craft. Complete with working canons. The 'Hoodies' are a group who met at University, live in various places across the country and, having enjoyed last years event, came back for more.

And their off, first into the water were 2005 winners in class, Matthew Seymour and Sam Luxton in Fat Boy Slim. Again this year they proved they werewinners with a time of 1'.00".26secs

Homer and Marge getting into stroke at the start.

Flower Power made the day much more colourful, and ended up with a time of 2.05

Some seemed to abandon ship at the fish ladder, but we think he picked up the mutineer later.

Others got down with crew intact, The Plonkers ended up in a time of 1.24.

Long time supporters of the race, Chris Dudman and Tim Hudson were again together aboard the Woodchurch Flyer. Traditionally known for picknicing on the way down, this year they were out for medals. Sadly, they did not train hard enough, and went away empty handed.

Most people finished and some fully intact!

Father & Son team - Steve and Toby Hotson at the finish having enjoyed every part of the race (so they told me). Steve runs Acorn Design (click here for their web site), he entered the first race and has sponsored all of the event printing ever since. They are enthusiastic that the race continues and hope to enter more rafts next year.

This is a great event, please support it with more raft entries next year. Watch this web site and the Raft Race web site for details - www.rotherraftrace.co.uk

W.L. WEST & SONS LTD
Selham, Petworth, West Sussex GU28 0PJ
United Kingdom

Tel: 01798 861611   
Fax: 01798 861633   
E-mail: sales@wlwest.co.uk

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