Boat Race Fever Hits Dukes Meadows

Thames21 and local conservation charity Dukes Meadows Trust have teamed up to organise riverside activities for all the family to celebrate The Boat Race 2007 and mark the unveiling of the recently restored bandstand at Dukes Meadows.

Activities kick off at 2pm on Saturday April 7th and include music in the Bandstand from the Fulham Brass Band, environmental and art activities with Thames21 including a Boat Race themed Art Workshop, a fun fair, a hot balloon display, refreshments and lots more.

Dukes Meadow is a magnificent riverside plateau providing easy access to the finish line at Chiswick Bridge to see the thrilling final minutes of the annual battle between the Oxford and Cambridge Crews.

Thames21 charity spokesperson said Leigh McAlea said, "Thames21 is the official charity for The Boat Race and are delighted to team up with the Dukes Meadows Trust to mark Boat Race Day. With the attention of millions on the River Thames, it is a real opportunity to encourage people of all ages to find out more about the history, wildlife and geography of this magnificent river while soaking up the party atmosphere of The Boat Race.'

Dukes Meadow Trust coordinator Verity added, ""We are working to regenerate Duke's Meadows to benefit the wider community and are proud to see the Bandstand restored to its former glory. What better way to celebrate the Boat Race than to hear the sounds from the Fulham Brass Band bringing the bandstand alive once again. We welcome everyone to come along and enjoy a great family day out"

Funding for the event has been generously provided by CiP and the Chiswick Area Committee. Thanks also to Euroclear for funding the restoration work on the Bandstand.

When: Saturday April 7th from 2pm - 5pm (Fun fair open from 10am)
Where: Dukes Meadows, Band Stand on The Promenade, Chiswick, London W4
Nearest Transport: Barnes Bridge Station
Map: Click here for map

For media enquires contact Leigh McAlea at Thames21 on 020 7213 0166 / 07875 250 284

NOTES TO EDITORS

Thames21 is London's leading waterways charity and works to bring the capitals waterways to life. In 2006, Thames21 removed over 1,000 tonnes of litter from the River Thames, its tributaries and the canal network. It organised 92 clean ups and worked with 4024 volunteers. As well as clean ups, Thames21 run Adopt-A-River, Canalkeeper and Riverkeeper Volunteers and Project Habitat. www.thames21.org.uk

Dukes Meadows Trust is a community driven conservation charity working to restore a riverside park on the Thames at Chiswick. We aim to improve the leisure potential and bio diversity of the park by involving volunteers from across the community.
www.dukesmeadowstrust.org

The Boat Race, the annual rowing contest between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, began in 1829. It became an annual event (apart from suspension in times of War) in 1856. The 2007 Race will be the 153rd in the Series and will take place on Saturday APRIL 7th, sponsored by Xchanging. Cambridge have won 78 times and Oxford 73. The Race, one of Britain's iconic sporting events, is organised by The Boat Race Company Limited on behalf of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It takes place on a stretch of the River Thames in London known as The Tideway. The Race starts at Putney, finishes at Mortlake, and travels along the four and a quarter mile University Course. Each Boat Race attracts over 100 million worldwide television viewers as well as an average of 250,000 spectators along the bank each year. The 2007 Race is sponsored by Xchanging and broadcast in the UK by ITV Sport and LBC Radio. www.theboatrace.org