After our highly impressive results when trying our hand at wheelchair basketball earlier this year, we  were keen to build on our legacy of extreme sports.

So off to the dragonboat races went The Perpinators – a team of men, women and children raising money for Aurora New Dawn

Let’s be clear from the start that dragonboat racing takes a lot of co-ordination, stamina and enthusiam.

Suffice to say that The Perpinators overflowed with stamina and enthusiasm…

…but the coordination was another matter.

You wouldn’t think that coordinating a team of about 16 rowers would be that hard, would you?

We didn’t.

Turns out we were all wrong – it really is that hard.

We didn’t make it through to the finals, but we certainly didn’t come last – unlike our attempt at wheelchair basketball.

We’re taking this as an enormous step forward.

Next stop, the Great South Run, where some of the Aurora team will be raising money for us.

Don’t forget, if you’re interested in taking part in any of Aurora’s events, drop us in line on 023 9247 9254 or email us at info@aurorand.org.uk

Giving up their time for an incredibly good cause, Hampshire firefighters and local students joined Aurora staff, trustees and supporters in a wheelchair basketball tournament that none would forget.

With runners, badminton players and yoga enthusiasts on our team, the Aurora New Dawn are no strangers to sports.

Yet we were completely unprepared for this.

In case you didn’t know, folks, wheelchair basketball is hard.

We mean, it’s really hard.

It’s hard to roll and hold the ball at the same time, which meant some of us (Chief Exec, we’re talking to you) clamped the ball under our chins to leave our hands free to roll the wheels.

It’s hard to shoot the ball into the basket from a sitting position, particularly if you’re already vertically Coinstar point challenged (Writer in Residence, we’re talking to you).

And it’s particularly hard to move your wheelchair anywhere when someone is holding on to the back of it (Hampshire Fire & Rescue, we’re talking to you).

Despite this, we fought through our inexperience in the sport with courage and determination, and we won!

OK, we’re lying, we didn’t win. Actually, we came last, but wait til next time. We’ll be ready.

A massive, massive thank you to Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service for organising the tournament and for kindly donating the proceeds to Aurora New Dawn, and a huge thank you to everyone who took part on the day – we had an amazing time.

UPDATE: And we even made The News!