STAFF and friends of a Hoylake School took part in the annual Chester Dragon Boat Festival to raise cash for Claire House.

The team from Kingsmead School took part in the race held on the River Dee on Sunday, June 9 in a bid to raise £1,700 for the Wirral children's charity.

Spread over 200 metres, each team had a minimum of three timed races with the fastest time only counting for the grand final.

Naming themselves ‘The Kingsmead Warriors’, the team was made up of 17 members including teaching and support staff as well as friends of Kingsmead School. Team members included head teacher Mark Gibbons and his wife Alison (head of Lower School at Kingsmead) along with David Gibbons, James Glover, Jo Evans, Richard Evans, Ellie Randell, Clare Liddy, Matt Wilson, Stuart Rathe, Chris Hodgson, Megan Hodgson, Richard Dooley, Sue Kellet, Rob Davies, Alison Byrne and Andrew Cotgrave.

The team managed to secure 8th place and have so far raised £560 of their grand total.

Mark told the Globe: “The Dragon Boat Festival was a fantastic event to take part in, filled with excitement and challenge as well as good fun.

"Our school community at Kingsmead feels very much like an extended family so this event gave us a great opportunity to pull together as a team, helping to raise money for a very worthy cause.

"Claire House is an incredible facility in our area that provides much needed care and a supportive and nurturing environment for families at a time when they need it most.”

For more information and to donate visit

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andy-cotgrave10