LCI Helps Raise Thousands for Charity

Posted on: 12 June 2024 by Phil Jones and Carys Phillips (editor) in News

We are thrilled to announce that the LCI has helped raise over £17,000 at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Dragon Boat Race.

The event is held every year to celebrate the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, one of the most important and vibrant cultural holidays in the Chinese calendar.

On the 12^th May 2024, at the Queen's Dock, the festivities kicked off with a traditional lion dance, a custom that brings good luck and never fails to make people smile. Following on from this, the Lord Mayor, Cllr Mary Rasmussen, dotted the pupils onto the eyes of each dragon headed boat in a ceremony that gives life to the dragons and ensures that they will travel quickly through the water.

Various cultural activities were also running, such as cord crafting, making Zongzi (rice dumplings) and marble games.

This year, the UoL team beat our previous bronze record, and through the team’s hard work, scooped silver. To achieve this, we triumphed over eighteen other dragon boats from different local businesses and organisations. These included Local Solutions, ACC Liverpool, Liverpool Chinese Business Association and the Ukraine Community Group. Congratulations also go to The Belt and Road Association UK who came first and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service who came third.

The LCI also proudly hosted and organised this year’s Northwest England Confucius Institute Dragon Boat Race on the 27th April. This race saw five teams from different universities Confucius Institutes including the University of Liverpool, the University of Lancaster, the University of Central Lancashire, Edge Hill University and the University of Manchester go head-to-head. Dr Penny Ding was also lucky enough to be invited to attend the 5th Barcelona International Dragon Boat Festival in May, where her teams were awarded two bronze and one silver medals.

This annual event, headed by the Lord Mayor, saw over £17,000 raised for the charity Local Solutions. As a charity, they deliver services to support individuals, families and communities across the Liverpool City Region and North Wales at risk of losing their homes.

Along with the money raised from other projects, our fundraising will pay for two full-time Mentors for two years. This will positively impact the lives of approximately 120 young homeless people/at risk of homelessness.

We are thrilled to be able to support our local community with positive outcomes while exploring and celebrating Chinese culture and heritage.

More information about Local Solutions can be found on their website.

Dr Penny Ding, LCI UK Director and Dragon Boat Race Captain commented, "The UoL Confucius Institute is thrilled to lead a team of eighteen paddlers comprising students, staff, and community members to secure second place in these very competitive races. Dragon boating emphasises teamwork, and I'm immensely proud of our team's achievements, camaraderie, and skill development. We're committed to strengthening our team further and aiming for the gold trophy next year. Knowing that our efforts will benefit disadvantaged youth adds an extra layer of joy to our success."

Thank you to all this year’s event volunteers and supporters who gave up their time to celebrate this ancient Chinese tradition with us. We hope to have you on the team again next year!

What is Dragon Boat Racing?

At over 2,000 years old, dragon boating is not just a sport, but a vibrant cultural festival, too. Born from the ancient tale of Qu Yuan, a beloved poet who leapt into a river, locals raced in boats, banging drums and splashing paddles to shoo away fish. Today, these dramatic, dragon-themed boats and rhythmic drums have turned this commemorative event into a thrilling race celebrated worldwide. It's a colourful splash of history that brings communities together, all in the spirit of unity and celebration.

Explore more about this sport here.

If you’d like to hear about our events, and for opportunities to get involved, please sign up for our monthly newsletter by emailing lci@liverpool.ac.uk.