MORE schools are being urged to sign up to take part in this year’s Bradford Dragonboat Festival Youth Day.

The three-day charity event will take place this year from Friday, June 22, to Sunday 24, at Roberts Park in Saltaire.

This year’s event is again split into three days; on Friday will be the Youth Championship for teams of young people aged 11 to 19, or up to 25 if a disability team.

Teams can be entered by any school, youth or community group, and must contain no more than 17 members, and should contain a mix of genders unless from a single-gender school.

The day is split up into three sections, for juniors (school years 7 to 9), seniors (Years 10 and 11), and disability (ages 11 to 25), with prizes for the top teams in each section.

Last year saw 18 teams take part, and this year organisers are appealing for even more schools and groups to take part. It is hoped the number of teams will double to 36 this year.

One school which has thrown itself into the festival is Hanson School in Swain House.

This year it is entering four teams into the festival, and some visually impaired and blind students are also taking part across different year groups.

To gain a spot in one of the teams, students have to accrue points which can be achieved through improved behaviour, being helpful and more acts of kindness and good manners.

Alongside St Joseph’s and St Bede’s Catholic College, Hanson was one of the first schools to get involved in the festival, and now has two students involved in the event’s planning committee, and is urging more schools to take part in June.

Razwana Mahmood, of the festival organising committee, said: “The youth festival has grown considerably from last year, when it was the first time we had ever done it.

“This year there will also be an education and careers zone, so it is more than just a schools event to take part in, we want students to visit the zone and see what opportunities are available to them in the district.

“There are still spaces available to take part, and the race is open to schools and groups from all over the country, not just Bradford.”

The Saturday of the festival is the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Championship, with 45 teams vying to get their hands on the Dragonboat trophy, all while raising funds to support the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which this year is supporting Bingley’s Down Syndrome Training and Support Service, and the Wishing Well Appeal.

There will also be live music, food and other entertainment in the park during the day, and last year attracted thousands of people to Saltaire for the event.

On Sunday is the Multi-Charity Championship, with more than 40 team taking part all raising money for individual charities, including Cancer Support Yorkshire, Barnardo’s, and the British Red Cross.

To sign up for the festival, visit bradforddragonboatfestival.co.uk