ORGANISERS of this year’s Bradford Dragonboat Festival says it has raised more than £30,500 for charity – with preparations for next year’s event well under way.

The festival, which took place over three days in May on the River Aire next to Roberts Park, Saltaire, was hailed as the biggest and best yet.

The total raised so far includes £26,000 for the Lord Mayor of Bradford’s Appeal – YoungMinds – which was the chosen charity of the Lord Mayor of Bradford for 2016-17, Councillor Geoff Reid. The charity helps children, young people and their parents to find out about the mental health and wellbeing services available to them.

A youth competition got this year’s festival under way, with teams of youngsters aged 11 to 19 taking to the water. This was followed by a main festival day, with 40 competing teams of 16 paddlers and one drummer taking part in two rounds of heats.

A corporate day rounded off the event, which also featured a feast of entertainment over the three days, including music and magic shows, for the crowds in Roberts Park.

The event attracted an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 spectators.

Details of next year’s event have already been announced.

It will take place at the same venue between Friday, June 22, and Sunday, June 24.

Money raised from will go to the nominated charities of this year’s Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Abid Hussain. They are Down Syndrome Training and Support Services, based at the Pamela Sunter Centre, in Whitley Street, Bingley, and the Wishing Well Appeal, which will provide small grants for organisations and smaller groups across the Bradford district.

Razwana Mahmood, team liaison for the event, said the third festival had proved a roaring success.

She said: “It is an excellent sum.

“It has been absolutely fantastic, you could not wish for anything better.

“People are becoming interested in it outside of Bradford. It is an event that showcases the best of Bradford.

“People’s spirit at the event was absolutely fantastic. It has got that momentum already.

“We are already getting a lot more teams signed up early for next year.

“We are almost sold out for teams on the Saturday for next year’s race day, and have 14 teams signed up for Sunday.

“We want people to sign up early and practise. Teams are already practising at Doe Park Water Activities Centre for next year.”

Go to bradforddragonboatfestival.co.uk to enter or for more information.