TIME TO START BUILDING YOUR CRAFT FOR THE 2016 LOSSIEMOUTH RAFT RACE.

The date for this year’s Lossiemouth Raft Race has been set as Sunday 7th August 2016.

RAF Lossiemouth and Moray Council are collaborating to organise the popular summer event. Profits from the Race will be donated to two charities in 2016: ‘MFR Cash For Kids’ and ‘Lucky 2 B Here’.

This year Tulloch of Cummingston has committed to become the main sponsors of the Lossiemouth Raft Race until 2021. Mr John Tulloch is the managing director of the local building company, he said:

“Being a local company employing many people in from the town, and having a long term commitment to building new homes in Lossiemouth, we are delighted to become involved with one of Lossiemouth’s main outdoor events of the year.

“Supporting this event shows how the integration and collaboration between the Royal Air Force, the local community and council, and companies such as ours can sustain events that benefit the local community, businesses and charities.

“I hope to have a Tulloch’s team entered in the race this year – although I’m not sure our construction skills will necessarily give us an advantage building rafts.”

Flight Lieutenant Ollie Harbridge is once again co-ordinating the organising team, he said:

“The Lossiemouth Raft Race is a well-known and well-loved event and last year was a great success. But we always want to raise more money for our nominated charities and this year I hope it will be bigger than ever.

“Moray Firth Radio will again be broadcasting live from this year’s Lossiemouth Raft Race which is being held in aid of two charities: Lucky 2 B Here and MFR Cash for Kids. I hope everyone will come along and enjoy themselves as well as supporting these two charities, and that the wind isn’t as strong as it was last year.

“The commitment from Tulloch of Cummingston to support the Raft Race for the next 5 years really helps us cover some of the costs of running this event. This gesture will help contribute more to the nominated charities. So I’d like to thank Mr Tulloch for his company’s generosity.”

This year’s theme is ‘Rio Olympic Carnival’ (with the Olympic Games being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August), and teams are asked to dress themselves and their rafts to match that theme. Prizes will be awarded for the best team costume and best raft design, as well as the race winners – who will get the famous toilet seat trophy!

As well as entrants for the race itself, groups and businesses interested in providing stalls or entertainments for the Lossiemouth Raft Race should get in touch with the organisers.

For more information and for the relevant forms to apply to provide a stall at the event or to enter a team into the race, visit the ‘Events’ page on the RAF Lossiemouth web site (http://www.raf.mod.uk/raflossiemouth/events/index.cfm), or contact SAC Bethany Lehair on 1SQN-OPSSAC1@mod.uk for a stall at the Raft Race, or SAC Craig McInnes on LOS-LSSMMDFTECHSAC10@mod.uk about team entries.