DW supporting Charity

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to take part in the 53rd Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race - the first of the new Millennium.

Once again we are delighted that the race is supporting charity and we hope that the Millennium race will be the most successful ever. Last year, as always, thousands of pounds were raised for a number of charities and this year we very much hope that our new official charity, SportsAid, will benefit hugely from every participant's endeavours.

No charitable organisation has invested more money in the sport of canoeing than SportsAid, which is why it is so appropriate that our race should be supporting SportsAid as the organisation approaches its 25th Anniversary. Since Douglas Parnham, in March 1976, became the first canoeist to receive the financial support of SportsAid, as he prepared for the Montreal Olympics, SportsAid has invested over £1.4 million in British canoeing talent.

Until National Lottery money became available for the elite of our sport, it was SportsAid (known then more commonly as Sports Aid Foundation) which helped the likes of Richard Fox, Lynn Simpson, Ivan Lawler, Steve Harris and the Train Brothers to become Champions of the World.

Now, SportsAid is dedicated to helping the next generation of British canoeists to excel. Among the 70 or so youngsters who are currently receiving SportsAid's support are such outstanding young talents as Jenny Spencer and Dean O'Connor. For these youngsters, lottery money is still some way off and so it is SportsAid who is helping them on their way to the top.

By raising money for SportsAid, you will be making a direct contribution to your sport's well-being as SportsAid has promised to ring-fence 50% of the money raised from this year's DW to use for making grants to young canoeists. That means that more youngsters will have the chance to become the very best that they can be. Who knows, one day and with your help now, one or more of them might go on to be an Olympic or World Champion - and you will have helped them to get there.

SportsAid will be contacting every entrant in the Millennium DW with a sponsorship form and a list of exciting fundraising incentives. But, if you would like any information now, please contact Amy at SportsAid on 020 7387 9380.

We are delighted to be supporting Sports Aid in 2000. As an independent charity, SportsAid has three main objectives:

To further the education of young people through the medium of sport
To encourage those with social or physical disadvantages to improve their lives through sport
To enable those living in poverty to take advantage of the opportunities offered by sport

If you raise money for charity in the 2000 event, do not forget to return the card which will be supplied in your Results book. It helps us a great deal in obtaining facilities for the event, if we can show that the event is important for Charities

DW paddlers are encouraged to raise money for Charity.
Previous sums raised for Charities chosen by paddlers :
1997 £30,471.72
1998 £23,093.95

Sponsorship forms are being issued with DW Info packs
For a copy, write to :
The Competition Secretary,
Boscombe Forge,
Church Road,
BOOKHAM, Surrey KT23 3JG