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Sign up for this year’s Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival and help change the story of cancer in the region and beyond

Posted on by Zach Smith

This year’s Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival celebrates its 20th year – with the hospital charity behind the popular event saying everyone who takes part will make a ‘meaningful difference’ to cancer care in the region.

The launch celebrations kicked off in true Dragon Boat style – with a full-size Dragon Boat at the UK head office of sponsors Illumina. Joining forces for another fun-filled event were staff from Illumina, who are sponsoring the event for the third-year running, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) whose event is raising money for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and organisers NewWave Events.

This year’s festival, which takes place on the River Cam at Fen Ditton on Saturday September 5th, has a fundraising target of £50,000 and will once again see Cambridge Radio reporting live from the riverbank on the day.

The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, which is set to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2030, will bring world-leading research and clinical excellence under one roof, changing the story of cancer, and improving the lives of cancer patients across the UK and beyond.

Built over seven floors, the new hospital will house three world-leading University of Cambridge research institutes focussing on early cancer detection and prevention, integrated cancer medicine and precision breast cancer medicine to accelerate and bring new innovations to the bedside faster, detect cancer earlier and treat it more precisely.

For the third year in a row, a team from the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital project will be in the water, representing the new hospital and doing their bit to raise money and awareness to bring this new hospital to Cambridge.

Speaking at the launch event, ACT’s Corporate Partnership Manager Natasha Robertson said: “We are thrilled that Illumina is sponsoring our Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival for the third year running. Their continued support shows a real commitment to helping change the story of cancer in Cambridge and beyond.”

“The event is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to come together, have a great team day and raise vital funds for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. We’re confident that together we can raise over ÂŁ50,000 this year, with every team taking part helping to make a meaningful difference to patients and their families dealing with cancer.” 

Illumina is a global genomics and human health leader innovating the future of precision health, they develop DNA sequencing and array-based life sciences technologies to enable research discovery and personalised health.

Mark Robinson (L), VP & General Manager, UK & Ireland and Northern Europe, Illumina, said: “Illumina is delighted to once again join forces with ACT to support the 2026 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival, taking place on 5th September. Last year’s fun‑filled event raised an incredible amount to help build the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. It’s a fantastic opportunity to give something back to the communities in which we live and work, and we can’t wait to make an even bigger impact this year.”

John Spicer, Project Director said:

“We’re thrilled that this much-loved event is helping to raise the crucial funds needed to make the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital a reality. Our mission is to catch cancer earlier, act faster and change the story for every patient, and we couldn’t do it without the incredible support of our community and partners. We’ll once again be sending a brave team of patients and staff out onto the water – hopefully with a better finish than last year!”

Lucy Morton, Executive Director of organisers NewWave Events, said: “We’re thrilled to be officially launching the 2026 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival with Illumina as our headline sponsor once again and of course our fantastic charity partner, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust. The event has gone from strength to strength over the last few years with team entries filling up and fundraising reaching record numbers year on year so we’re so excited to see what the 2026 festival will bring!”

Whilst the event is raising vital funds to help build the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, everyone who signs up for the day knows they are signing up for a fun-filled day of team bonding and friendly competition.

Many of the teams take part in fancy dress with last year’s ‘best dressed’ award going to one of Illumina’s three teams – the ‘Rowfessors’ who dressed as mad professors in white lab coats, wild white wigs and stick-on eyebrows and moustaches. Highly Commended went to a team from the Rosie Maternity Hospital, dressed as characters from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Ark Colour Design, dressed as sunflowers.

The festival takes place on the River Cam at Fen Ditton with teams paddling 30ft boats up the river with a drummer at the front beating time and a helm at the tail.

Races start at 10am, with a prize ceremony at the end of the day. Bankside entertainment and refreshments include traditional lion dance performances. There are also funfair style rides, with sponsors Illumina hosting family-friendly, fun activities including strawberry DNA extraction. Cambridge Radio will also be there on the day, reporting live from the riverbank.

Each team completes three heats, with the 12 fastest teams going through to the semis. Three semi-final winners and the fastest runner-up go through to the final. Each boat seats up to 10 paddlers and 1 drummer. The racecourse is a 200m straight course with each race lasting anywhere between 55 and 90 seconds, with times affected by water flow and weather conditions.

Trophies are awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place as well as to the highest placed mixed crew (minimum of five female paddlers), best dressed crew and top charity fundraiser. Medals also go to the top three crews and the highest placed mixed crew.

The good news for any teams thinking of entering is that you don’t need to be pros to take part. Winning is all about teamwork – with last year’s champions, Bango, complete Dragon Boat novices.

For more information and to register your team, sign up here or call NewWave Events on: (01536) 674 748.

ACT calls on people to ‘join our docs in festive socks’ – with the launch of a new festive, feel-good fundraiser

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

A leading hospital charity in the East of England is launching its first festive fundraiser – aimed at including as many hospital staff as possible.

Launching its Festive Sock Day on Thursday 4th December, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), whose supporters help fund cutting-edge equipment and pioneering research that brings huge advancements in patient care, said they wanted to introduce a festive fundraiser that hospital staff could take part in.

Explaining why the focus is on Christmas socks and not jumpers, Bec Beattie, Public Campaign and Event Manager for ACT, said: “We know that nursing staff aren’t able to wear Christmas Jumpers, but they CAN wear Christmas socks.”

feet wearing Christmas socks

“Festive Sock Day is a fun and easy way for people to support Addenbrooke’s. Hospital staff, schools, businesses, members of the public – everyone can jump on board for this annual festive event, launching this year – and best of all, it’s really easy to take part.”

Hospital staff are jumping at the chance to get festive – with the Imaging Department already signed up to take part in the Festive Sock fundraiser. Other departments keen to don their festive socks include the hospital’s Pathology department as well as Pharmacy.

Schools and education organisations that have signed up so far include Pathfinder CofE School in Ely; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub; Chesterton Primary School; St John’s CofE Primary School in Huntingdon; On Track Education in Mildenhall and Spinney Primary School in Cherry Hinton.

Ruby Grimwood, PA to the Pathology Directorate at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, said: “Christmas socks with a lab coat helps bring a splash of colour to a serious environment.”

“In Pathology, it is important for us to keep a sterile and clean environment when handling patient samples, but also to protect ourselves from any hazardous materials. This means that we all have to wear lab coats to avoid contamination and keep ourselves safe. Christmas socks are a great way for the team to show some festive spirit and add some colour to our labs whilst still keeping up with our uniform standards.”

Businesses can also join in – and just like hospital staff, ACT’s Festive Sock Day allows businesses who might not normally be able to wear Christmas jumpers to take part in a bit of festive fun too.

One of ACT’s Corporate Partners, Cambridge Commodities in Ely, has already signed up – with lots of fun, fundraising activities planned throughout the day.

CEO James Stevens said: “Cambridge Commodities staff love Christmas and they love Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust!”

“In the past we have handed out daffodils to the hard-working staff and every year we raise money so that every patient receives a Christmas present on Christmas morning. Sadly, as a high quality, food-grade facility a lot of our staff are unable to wear festive jumpers due to how comfortable they are combined with PPE so we were so excited to see that ACT was launching a Festive Sock Day! What a wonderful idea to have a fully inclusive day where every member of staff can join in, don some festive colour whilst supporting a great cause.”

Asked what their plans were for the day, James said: “A few games will be played, maybe a three-legged sock race, maybe a sock-based dance-off… We will definitely have prizes for the greatest pair. It’s great to involve everyone in giving back at CC where our core pillars are family, friendly and fun. This year we will be proud to spread warmth and joy, one sock at a time!”

In January this year, James’ company became ACT’s first corporate partner to raise over half a million for the charity, after celebrating their seven-year partnership – raising a total, at the time, of £561,810. The company continues to fundraise for ACT and will once again this year buy and wrap Christmas presents for every patient in Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie on Christmas Day.

Anyone feeling inspired to ‘Join your Docs in Festive Socks’ can sign up now.

It’s quick and easy to do and all you need to take part is a sense of fun and a pair of festive socks!

Bec Beattie said: “All you need to do is ‘join your docs in festive socks’, sign up on our sign up page and make a small donation – and sit back safe in the knowledge that you have helped to make Addenbrooke’s even better for our patients, their families and the brilliant people that care for us all every day.”

“Don’t forget to send us your photos and tag Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust in on all your socials. We can’t wait to see who will come up with the jazziest socks!”