BUSINESSES are being encouraged to support the Monmouth Raft Race as award sponsors in its 50th year.

Organisers Monmouth Rotary Club is inviting businesses to sponsor awards for the individual category winners in the raft race this September.

Raft race co-ordinator, Rotarian Norman Williams said: “It costs just £350 to sponsor an award and in return sponsors will get advertising space on the event web page, publicity through the press, a free half page advert in the raft race programme, a Facebook posting, and free entry for one raft in the raft race.

"Asking businesses to sponsor individual awards is an initiative designed to increase the amount of money raised for charity through the event. Last year Monmouth Raft Race raised almost £40,000. This year, for the 50th anniversary, we are hoping to increase that sum to £50,000.

“The event is already generously sponsored by Mandarin Stone, Basepoint and DHL, which covers the organisational costs. If other businesses sponsored an award it would help us to achieve our £50,000 target."

Emma Saysell, chief executive of St David’s Hospice Care, said: “We’re delighted that this very special event is so very well backed by businesses and would encourage them to take advantage of these brilliant award sponsorship packages. We are also very grateful for the exceptional support we continue to receive from the Rotary Club of Monmouth, the corporate sponsors and also the wonderful entrants.”

To sponsor an award, or request more details, please send an email to Norman Williams at monmouthrotaryclub@gmail.com

The raft race takes place on Sunday, September 6. St David’s Hospice Care will be the principal beneficiary and will receive 75 per cent of the money raised. The remaining funds raised will be allocated to other charitable causes supported by Monmouth Rotary Club.

www.monmouthraftrace.com

This is all set to be a golden year for the Monmouth River Wye raft race which celebrates fifty years of the staging of the fun filled event.

Norman Williams said: “The Monmouth Rotary Club is proud to have been running the raft race for the past 12 years and is very pleased to have nurtured it to the successful event that it is today. The 50th anniversary is a very special milestone for the club.

"For some entering the race is the culmination of developing and building their raft topped by a fun afternoon on the River Wye with friends. For others it's a way of raising money for St David's Hospice Care in gratitude for the immense help they and their loved ones have received as well as the support that their families have benefited from.

"My best memory of the event over the years is achieving over a hundred rafts entered in 2014 after many years of increasing if lower numbers. In the same year we achieved £6,000 corporate sponsorship for the first time and a total raised of almost £40, 000. A memorable year indeed.

"The event must’ve raised something like £500,000 in the years it has been run. The Rotary Club of Monmouth has been involved since 2003. Rotary itself has raised almost £200,000 with St David’s Hospice Care as its partner for much of our 12 years involved.

“The Monmouth Raft race was started by the Young Farmers Club and continued thereafter for many years by Monmouthshire’s Conservative Association and then as their organisers grew older and a cancellation of the event was necessary on the year of the Foot and Mouth outbreak, Rotary willingly stepped into the breach.

“Key to the event throughout are The Cullimores, of Tump Farm, Whitebrook, who willingly lend their land, equipment and labour to make the fun event at the race finish possible.

“Over the years designs of rafts have ranged from very basic barrels with planks to refined Wild West Stagecoaches, The Titanic, Aeroplanes and even a Mississippi River Boat.”

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. This includes a match-funded cheque for £5,000 from the DHL UK Foundation.

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.