Olympian Louis Smith and Posh players on board for Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival launch

Olympic medallist Louis, who took part in the festival in 2015, will swap the pommel horse for a paddle to pose in an authentic Chinese dragon boat alongside the crew from event sponsors Motorpoint Peterborough.

As well as being the official sponsor, Motorpoint Peterborough was among the first crews to sign up to the event being held on Saturday, June 9 at Peterborough Rowing Lake. It is hoped up to 50 more teams will challenge them on the water.

For the fourth year running event organisers Gable Events have joined forces with Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. And in the festival’s 20th anniversary year it is hoped the crews taking part will, together, help to raise £20,000 for the hospice which could fund a hospice nurse for more than six months.

Next weekend’s launch (Friday, January 26 to Sunday January 28) will see a dragon boat on display at Motorpoint in Edgerley Drain Road alongside more than 500 nearly new cars for sale.

Customers will be invited to sit on board, bang the drum and sign up to take part in the event.

Olympian Louis will be on hand to meet fans at Motorpoint Peterborough from 11am onwards on Friday, supported by members of the Peterborough United first team ahead of their FA Cup fourth round fixture against Leicester City the following day.

Tom Stanton, general manager of Motorpoint Peterborough, said: “We are thrilled to be supporting the 20th Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival and can’t wait to take to the water on June 9 to raise as much money as possible for our charity partner, Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.”

Thorpe Hall Hospice community fundraiser Nilesh Patel said: “We are delighted to be the charity partner of the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival for the fourth year running, particularly as the event is celebrating its 20th anniversary year.

“We have been working closely with Motorpoint Peterborough over the previous few months and to have their sponsorship is a huge boost for us, perfectly kickstarting fundraising towards our £20,000 target.”

Money raised at the festival for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice will help provide care and support for hospice patients and their families at the most difficult time of their lives.

For more details and to sign up visit www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/peterborough.