A PERSHORE boating team has been chosen to be among the boats travelling behind the Queen in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Flotilla.

The Pershore Phoenix Dragon Boating team were selected to be among the 1,000 boats from around the world which will follow the Queen along the Thames in celebration of Her Majesty’s 60 years on the throne.

It is set to be the largest flotilla to be assembled on the river in more than 350 years. Vice captain Ali Lowe said: “This is the first time we have done something of this size, but it’s also the first time we had the opportunity to do anything on this level. It is a fantastic opportunity.

“Everyone is tremendously excited about it. There was a collective whoop of delight when we found out about it.”

There will be 16 squad members on the boat on Sunday, June 3, but the team has yet to decide who will go. Mr Lowe said: “We haven’t decided who will be on the boat yet but it will be done in a fair way.”

The flotilla will travel 10 miles from Putney to Tower Bridge as part of a flotilla stretching 7.5 miles.

It has been a successful start to the new year for the club which has recently been awarded a Sportivate grant for youth to run Youth Dragon Boat Courses for 14 to 25-year-olds.

“It’s been a fantastic start to the new year,” said Mr Lowe. “We also have a number of people taking part in trials for the Great Britain squad.”

If the members are successful the members will go to the Euro Championships.

Pershore Phoenix is now hoping to get sponsorship for the event.

Visit dragonboating.org.

uk for more information or contact Jonathan at FootmanJ@aol.com or call 01386 750558.