ORGANISERS are hopeful the 50th staging of the annual Monmouth Raft Race will encourage a bumper number of businesses to enter a team and pour gold into charity coffers.

Corporate supporters have continued to support the event and last year helped steer the iconic Monmouthshire/Gloucestershire border event to reach a record target

One business, DHL, entered a record 23 rafts which enabled the 49th annual Monmouth Raft Race to break through the 100 raft entry target and to deliver a record £39,500 for charity.

Newport-based St David’s Hospice Care, the main beneficiary of the 2014 event, received £25,848, 75 per cent of the total raised. The rest of the money went to other local charities.

Last year’s total was boosted when DHL, match-funded cheque for £5,000 to the pot bringing the total donated to St David’s Hospice Care to £30,848.

Monmouth Raft Race 2015, which covers a 6.5 mile course from Monmouth Rowing Club to Tump Farm, Whitebrook, is being sponsored by Basepoint, DHL, Mandarin Stone and Module IT.

Bob Handley, president of Monmouth Rotary Club, said: “The 2014 raft race was a huge success. We know that this is in no small part down to the terrific support that we have had from sponsors and corporate entrants.

“We were thrilled to raise a record amount of money last time and also see a record number of rafts enter into the river Wye.

Mr Handley said: “We would also like to record our heartfelt thanks to the continued and unerring support of John Cullimore, the owner of Tump Farm, Whitebrook, who each year provides acres of his land for River Wye rafts to come ashore and for the family fun day to be staged.”

Emma Saysell, chief executive of St David’s Hospice Care, said Monmouth Raft race is very important for the charity.

She said: “We’re delighted that this very special event is so very well backed by businesses. We are also very grateful for the exceptional support we continue to get from the Rotary Club of Monmouth, the corporate sponsors and also the wonderful entrants.”

The 2015 raft race will take place on Sunday, September 6, and will once more be raising funds for St David’s Hospice Care.

Monmouth Raft Race co-ordinator, Rotarian Norman Williams, revealed they have set a new target to reach in 2015.

“Last year we reached our 100 raft target. Now for 2015, the 50th staging of the race, we hope to increase that number again and have also set ourselves the goal of raising in excess of £50,000 for charity.”

Entry costs £75 per raft, or £50 if you sign up before June 1, including a commitment to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship.

For full details about the 2015 raft race, including online or postal entries, and how to sponsor the event in its fiftieth year please visit www.monmouthraftrace.com or call raft race secretary, Rotarian David Forbes on 01600 712665 or Kris Broome at St David’s Hospice Care on 01633 851051.