Helen Timms of Spice Bombs Team at the annual World Water Bombing Championships at Ponds Forge (Photo: Sheffield Newspapers).
When: 7th May 2014 at 6.30pm
Where: Ponds Forge, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
£: To take part, each team must pay a £20 registration fee and aim to raise a minimum of £406 in sponsorship. £406 could fund two Macmillan nurses for a whole day, giving vital help and support in Sheffield. Teams members must be aged 18 and over.
What is it?
The World Water Bombing Championships will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year, when it returns to Ponds Forge on Wednesday 7th May 2014 at 6.30pm. Macmillan Cancer Support is looking for teams of four to take on the challenge.
For ten years now, water bombers from across the region have launched themselves from the 3m diving platform in a fancy dress costume of their choice. The water bombers are graded on their style, splash and presentation by a judging panel which includes two Macmillan nurses and an unusual mystery guest.
The fancy dress costumes are a major part of the event. Over the past ten years there have been some interesting ideas, including a team of Umpa Lumpas, YMCA, The Wizard of Oz, the Cast of Grease and even a team who chose to call themselves the Flying Mankinis!
George Perkins, 30, from Sheffield has taken part in the event since 2006, along with friend Mark Phelan. They have raised a combined total of £9053 for Macmillan. George Perkins said: “The most fun part of the event for me is the fancy dress. Every year the standard gets better and better. In the past I have dressed up as bomber pilot, Spartacus and a member of LMFAO. I think you have to be ever so slightly mad to do this event, but it’s great fun.”
Mark Phelan, 52, from Norton in Sheffield adds: “When George first approached me to help him form a team for the Water Bombing event, I didn’t hesitate. I had great fun creating the many fancy dress costumes we wore including our version of giant ‘human’ fairy tale books and an alien complete with spaceship.”
Get in fancy dress for Macmillan (Photo: Sheffield Newspapers).
Last year’s event raised £9800 for Macmillan and the organisers are hoping to mark the tenth anniversary by topping the £10,000 mark for the first time. Teams from Chesterfield to Sheffield and even as far away as Buckinghamshire come to take part in this unique event to raise money for Macmillan. This year there is even interest from Australia.
The World Water Bombing Championships are sponsored by Matthew Twigg Foods (suppliers of Pukka Pies), Experts in Microsoft Dynamics and Sheffield International Venues. All money raised at the event is spent on funding Macmillan services in Sheffield.
Over the next two years Macmillan is spending £2 million in South Yorkshire to fund a range of new services, including an End of Life Care project team based across Sheffield hospitals and in care homes, who will support and care for patients; plus a 1-2-1 support nurse who will support colorectal and breast cancer patients who have been discharged following treatment.
To take part, phone 0300 1000 200 or email [email protected] to get your registration form.
More info: www.facebook.com/pages/World-Water-Bombing-Championships and www.macmillan.org.uk