The Leeds United Academy has helped raise nearly £4k for Martin House Children’s Hospice after taking part in this year’s Dragon Boat Race.
Staff members from United‘s Academy setup, who usually spend their day-to-day nurturing up-and-coming players throughout the club’s age groups, decided to do their bit for the youth of Leeds in another way last week.
Joining in with the annual fundraising event on Sunday, staff from the Thorp Arch training ground swapped their boots for oars to take part in the 2024 Martin House Dragon Boat Race, a much-loved local initiative.
For anyone who’s never come across the charity based down the road in Wetherby before, Martin House provides free care for children and young people with life-limiting illnesses, relying almost entirely on fundraising and donations.
Writing in a statement on the club site, they said: “The charity is one that is close to the hearts of everybody at Thorp Arch, with the academy team and players paying regular visits to the hospice and spending time with the families and staff.”
Held at Roundhay Park, the Leeds United Academy crew finished fourth overall in the Dragon Boat Race following a series of well-attended heats – they also managed to reach the third round in a separate tug-of-war tournament. Well in, guys.
There were lots of Leeds and Yorkshire-based organisations in general that took part to help raise money for the vital cause, including a group of local Labour councillors.
With the fundraising page surpassing £3,700 on Wednesday morning, they made a huge contribution to another incredible year for the Dragon Boat Race, which generated over £91k for Martin House in 2023 alone.
Read more:
- Yorkshire beer created to honour Rob Burrow raises £20k for charity
- Beloved Leeds indie, Wapentake, is saved from closure following local investment
- Harry Kane praised for ‘classy’ response after pundits dig out England’s Euros start
All we can say is a huge well done to the Leeds United Academy staff and everyone else involved with the important charity event this year.
Better still, you can continue to upport their fundraising efforts HERE if you want to help bring their tally up even further.
And if you fancy putting together a group to take part next year, be it with your mates or your workplace, you can find out more about the Dragon Boat Race in aid of Martin House Children’s Hospice on their website.
You need the sound up. You are looking at Waterloo Lake @roundhaypark Leeds. On Dragon Boat race day. This is the last race. Notice how the birds don’t care at all pic.twitter.com/ifjCU0QAr5
— Anne-Louise Quinton (@AnneQuinton) June 23, 2024
Featured Images — Leeds United/JustGiving
