The famous annual River Dart Raft Race, organised by the Rotary Club of Totnes, returns on October 2.

This race is often known as the River Dart ‘struggle’, is 13km in length, and starts at Dart Bridge in Buckfastleigh and flows through both a mixture of white water fast flowing weirs and calm stretches.

Finishing on Vire Island Totnes, where you can be entertained with a jazz band and you can find a coffee bar, a burger stand, a vegetarian/vegan food stall-food in the community and a WI stall selling a range of, irresistible and delicious homemade savouries and cakes, scones etc.

There are also charity stalls, including the Devon Wild Life Trust, CUED Speech, Totnes Library, Paignton & Brixham Rotary, Chernobyl Children’s life line, Citizens Advice Bureau(CAB), RCHB (Bottle stall & raffle), Children’s hospice South West and many more.

Last year the Raft Race raised more than £6,000 for projects and charities supported by the Rotary Club of Totnes, and additionally almost £1,000 was raised by raft teams for the Totnes area and beyond.

The local projects that Rotary sponsored included youth mental health, young carers, the children’s library, air cadets, the Totnes Jamming station and local schools. Support to the wider community was provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau. The Ukraine crisis was recognised by donations to Shelterbox and donations were made to support to Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline.

The raft race couldn’t exist without the help of other groups. In recognition of their work donations last year were made to the Totnes Canoe Club, Totnes Sub-Aqua club, Raynet, Dart Totnes Rowing Club, Dartmoor Search and Rescue and Devon Event Medical Services.

This year, to date, sponsors include Baltic Wharf, Dartmoor Brewery, Chunk, and Morrisons.

l This is a real challenge and a real fun race, to enter check /www.totnesrotary.co.uk/totnes-raft-race