Dragon Boat Charity Fundraiser
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Published 19 May 2026 in Colleagues
Last weekend, a team of more than thirty colleagues, members, friends and family took to the waters of Himley Hall Lake, Dudley, in dragon boats to raise money for local good causes. A huge well done to everyone who took part in support of such a great cause.
Rowing for good causes
A fantastic day was had by all, with colleagues from food, childcare and support centres competing across two boats. Thirty-nine teams took part in the challenge, competing in a series of heats throughout the day, culminating in a six-boat final race to crown the 2026 champions.
Did you know?
OurCoop has supported this event for 11 years, helping to raise more than £25,000 for numerous local charities. The funds raised have been split equally between Wolverhampton Rotary’s local good causes (the organisers of the event) and our nominated charities. This year, we are supporting Alz Café, a local dementia charity, and Breast Cancer UK.
All round fun as one team
Both of our teams dug deep in challenging weather conditions during each of their heats, and we are delighted that OurCoop Boat One reached the majors final and won the bronze medal, smashing their personal best time in the final.
Albrighton Food Store Manager Jen Rust has been team captain for the dragon boat racing since we first took part. She said:
“It was a brilliant day, not even spoilt by the weather this year, with heavy rain showers and hail testing our rowers. We had a fun day out whilst raising a huge amount for our chosen charity partners. I am so proud of our teams, who both smashed their personal best times today.”
Rotary Club of Wolverhampton member Mike Boyce said:
“The Rotary Club of the City of Wolverhampton has been organising the Dragon Boat event at Himley Park for over 20 years, and this year has seen the largest number of teams ever entered.
“We are very grateful to everyone who takes part, especially regular participants such as OurCoop, who have supported the event on many occasions. We see the whole event as a huge team effort, bringing together organisations that believe in supporting their communities.”