CHIPPENHAM’S Monkton Park was a hive of activity both on and off land as two Rotary Club family events raised several thousand pounds for charity on Saturday.

About 2,000 people visiting the Art in the Park (AITP) fun day helped to raise more than £1,000 to be shared between the Royal United Hospital’s Forever Friends Appeal and Dorothy House Hospice Care, while competitors of the dragon boat race were pleased to get off shore as the stifling heat peaked near 30C at noon.

Their sponsorship raised thousands of pounds for Dorothy House, Bowel Cancer UK and the Springboard Opportunity Group.

Twelve teams paddled like the clappers in the 250-metre race from the green bridge towards the Olympiad.

Finishing first in the tense grand final in one minute 9.08 seconds were Jemima’s Paddle Ducks from Chippenham Sailing Club.

Team North (The Smurfs) came a close second and the Ultrawarmers third, with less than a second separating all three.

Other teams included the Radnor Arms at Corston, Redland School, ATP Health and Fitness, Costcutters, the 9th Regiment at Buckley Barracks and Springboard.

Caroline Attridge, of organisers Chippenham Wiltshire Vale Rotary Club, said: “My team George’s Dragon was raising money for Dorothy House, who did such a marvellous job in caring for my husband who died five years ago.

“The event went extremely well and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves, we had plenty of positive feedback. Of course the weather did help.”

At AITP, children made a glorious messy painting and played with modelling clay in the workshop marquee, while the park was filled with music and movement from the Sahara Sisters belly dancers, Rhythm Instinct drummers, Saxophonics and Xpression Streetdance.

On display at the craft fair were carved wooden ornaments by Langley Burrell sculptor Steve Griffin.

The Rotary Club of Chippenham event was this year held in honour of their first female president, Jane Kirby, who died of cancer last year aged 58. She had set up the event six years before in memory of her husband Geoffrey, who liked to make things with his hands.

Rotarian Roger Greenslade said: “It was a success, and that was because of all the people who came to support us. Our best year we had 5,000 people come along.

“It was probably down this year because of the heat. The ice cream van was a life saver.”

It was so hot that the AITP Star Wars characters were unable to get into their costumes.

Mr Greenslade said Frankie the horse gave more than 50 rides and was well watered, but the most smashing success of the day was the stall where people paid to shatter charity shop crockery by pelting plates with balls.

“You thought of the taxman and walloped it,” he said.