Dreamboats

This year 2010 is Dreamboats 10th Anniversary and we will be celebrationg with a party on the River Bank on Sunday 27th June.

With 30 special guests being invited and a champagne toast at 3.00 p.m. (£4 per glass) by the Deputy Chairman of EDDC.

All Welcome and free cake.

Rowers took to the River Stour in Wimborne yesterday for the minster town's tenth annual boat race.

The event, organised by the Dreamboats charity, saw teams battle high winds and strong currents in a bid for victory in the fun event.

Dreamboats' chairman, Pat Hymers, paid tribute to the good sports who enjoyed a river bank barbecue and cream teas to mark the boating charity's milestone anniversary. "I can't quite believe we've made it 10 years. When we started, we didn't like to think too far ahead. But every year we work hard for another year with the help of our supporters," said Mrs Hymers.

Town Crier Chris Brown kept crowds informed with the commentary, while deputy, Mel Gudger, got the races under way with a musket volley and clanging bell.

Cllr Pauline Reynolds, the chairman of East Dorset District Council, coxed a hastily assembled team including her chauffeur, Carl Ramsay, and Mrs Hymer's husband, Robert.

"We're the Ad-hoc team. Carl is only taking part in case the chairman's chain falls in the water. He's less concerned about the chairman," joked Cllr Reynolds.

The civic leader's team lost out to "The Bearded Ladies", a trio fetchingly attired in revealing tennis dresses, with only one female member.

Dream Team pairing of music teacher, Dave Mastrocola, and image consultant, Faith Rynne, took instruction from pet dog, Joey - the competition's only four-legged coxswain.

The final was a family affair, with The Terrible Tribe going head-to-head with The Bennett Family in a battle for the prestigious silver challenge cup. Wimborne engineer, Chris Tribe, did most of the work in a boat shared with daughters, Lily, aged nine, and six-year-old, Martha.

Victory went to the Bennett family, with dad, John Bennett, drawing on the support of son, David, and experience gained with family firm, Durley Chine Boats.

As rowers prepare for a new season of messing about on the River Stour, a campaign has been launched to raise money for a much-needed new boathouse.

Spectators to Dreamboats' opening celebrations in Wimborne on Sunday, April 30 will be asked to dig deep into their pockets for the new facilities. Foundations have been laid for the £20,000 boathouse and organisers hope it will be built ahead of a grand opening in July.

"We've received some grants and this is the final push to get the money in and I really hope people will support us," said Dreamboats chairman Pat Hymers. "It's a very special year for us as we have long-dreamed of having toilets and a kitchen, which are desperately needed for customers."

The charity is running a "Buy a breeze block for £1" campaign, which will also give supporters the chance of winning a fantastic prize.

The highlight of the launch day will be a colourful river pageant taking a light-hearted look at Wimborne's history. Ten short scenes featuring "characters" from the town's past will be acted out on the water to a specially-written commentary and music. The fun runs from 2pm to 5pm.

The seasonal rowing tradition in Wimborne was revived after a gap of almost 20 years as a Millennium project, jointly spearheaded by Mrs Hymers, the town council and East Dorset District Council.

Dreamboats can be hired out at weekends from 11am to 5pm, and throughout the school holidays until September.

As boaters prepare for a new season of messing about on the River Stour, a major drive has been launched to bring much-needed facilities.

For the past few years, all the boat hire charity Dreamboats has had to offer to those customers caught short on a rowing boat was a camping toilet on the river bank, while nautical equipment had to be stored in a makeshift container.

But, having secured £5,000 funding in the form of an Awards for All grant, as well as help from Wimborne Town Council and the Jean Bisgood Trust, Dreamboats is more optimistic than ever that a new boathouse could be a step closer.

Planning permission has already been granted for the boathouse, which will back on to the new Scout hall at Redcotts, but Dreamboats needs to find another £20,000 to start building - a project which would take just two months to complete.

East Dorset councillor and prime mover behind Dreamboats Pat Hymers said: "It will provide toilet facilities which are desperately needed for customers, a kitchen area to use for fund-raising events and the rest will be partly storage and partly workshop.

"Unfortunately because we're not a charity specifically for the disabled or the elderly we don't pull on the heartstrings and seeking funding can be difficult. But we are a facility for the whole community.

"The toilet facility is desperately needed. For the past year my husband and I have had the dreadful job of emptying the camping toilet every week.

"This is the final push to get the money in and I really hope people will support us."

The new rowing season starts on Saturday, April 30, but in the meantime the annual race night takes place at the Allendale Centre on April where guests can have a flutter on the horses and raise money for the Dreamboats and dial-a-ride.

Tickets can be purchased from Pam Shrubbs on 01202 883352.

Happy rowers took to the waters once again on Easter Saturday to celebrate the 2001 season of Dreamboats Wimborne.

Dreamboats began last year as a millennium project to return rowing boats to the River Stour for the use of the general public.

The day-long celebrations began at Riverside Point, near Wimborne market, with a naming ceremony of the fleet's new boat Swan of Wimborne donated by the Swan Theatre Company.

The naming ceremony was followed by the Challenge Race for the Dreamboats Trophy, a barbecue and musical entertainment.

Rowing boats will now be available to hire at the weekends, public holidays and school holidays until the end of September between noon and 5pm.

There is additional late opening on Thursdays during school holidays until 7pm. Boats are hired out on an hourly basis and children must be accompanied by an adult.