Part of UM Group
Colleagues from across UM Group will be taking part in a special fundraising Dragon Boat race next month.
Two teams of 12 from UM (The Rum Runners and the Sugar Smugglers) will be among 14 boats competing in the challenge on September 10th to celebrate the 130th anniversary of UM’s holding company, W&R Barnett.
The other boats will be crewed by members of various W&R Barnett businesses.
The race will take place on the River Lagan in Belfast with all funds raised by UM’s crews going to support the vital work of charities Cancer Research UK and Prostate Cancer UK.
W&R Barnett held a similar challenge five years ago to mark its 125th anniversary.
UM’s teams consist of many colleagues who have gone the extra mile to raise money for good causes in recent years either through UM challenges or in their own time.
One outstanding example of this was the 3 Peaks Challenge last year which saw colleagues come together to raise more than £30,000 for St Michael’s Hospice (North Hampshire) in memory of former colleague Melissa Bryers (nee Childerley).
UM’s two boats will be joined on the day by boats from other W&R Barnett companies - W & R Barnett, Barnett-Hall, John Thompson & Sons, Logson Group & Symphony Group. Bryson Pathways will be hosting the competition on the River Lagan.
The morning schedule will be packed with a series of heats with the fastest teams making it through to semi-finals and final in the afternoon.
W&R Barnett will be generously supporting all the teams taking part with different levels of match-funding, helping to maximise the amount that is raised for the various selected good causes.
The Dragon Boat racing will be followed by a celebratory dinner and entertainment at Belfast’s Titanic Hotel.
The event has been largely organised by W&R Barnett’s Gale Sergeant, supported by colleagues from the various companies taking part in the day.
William Barnett, CEO of W&R Barnett, said: “I am delighted that so many teams are taking part in this special celebration marking our 130th anniversary.
“There will be plenty of opportunities on the day to meet and enjoy the company of colleagues, but I am sure that when we face each other in the races that the competitive spirit will take over!
“It is a lot of fun but also shows our commitment to supporting charities close to our hearts. Charity matching for colleagues’ fundraising increases incrementally as they progress through the competition so everyone’s efforts will be rewarded, and the charities benefit by increased donations from the W&R Barnett Charity Scheme.”
Geraldine Carroll, UM Group HR, Training and Office Manager, said: “We are delighted to be entering two boats into the Dragon Boat challenge and hope to raise as much money as possible for our chosen charities, Cancer Research UK and Prostate Cancer UK.
“The charities were chosen following a poll of UM colleagues taking part in the event and we know that every pound raised will make a huge difference to the work they are able to do and the difference they make to millions of people’s lives.”
The full crews for the two UM Dragon Boats are:
Boat 1 (The Rum Runners in aid of Cancer Research UK) – Ben Macer (UM Group), Stephen Garrett (W&R Barnett), Simon Markham (Molasses GB), Sarah Cripps (UM Trading), Louisa Brown (UM Group), James Ramsden (UM Group), Jamie Clintworth (UM Terminals, Gladstone), Tom Prior (UM Terminals, Gladstone), Brian Campion (Premier Molasses), Felicity White (Molasses GB), Ben Coupland (UM Terminals, Hull West & Team Leader), Marc Verbrugghe (Tameco – Belgium).
Boat 2 (The Sugar Smugglers in aid of Prostate Cancer UK) – Jill Pask (UM Group), Geraldine Carroll (UM Group), Shaun Smith (UM Group), Agnieszka Sriskanthan-Reksa (UM Group), Mark Few (Molasses GB), Nigel Jones (UM Group), Adam Pierce (UM Group), Rauf Novruzov (UM Group), Sam Dangerfield (UM Trading & Team Leader), Robbie Flynn (Premier Molasses), Jamie Marshall (UM Terminals, Hull East), Mike Mail (UM Terminals, Hull West).
Anyone wishing to donate can do so by visiting: https://givewheel.com/fundraising/18363/um-dragon-boat-racing-on-the-river-lagan-in-belfas/
