Dragonboat Festival 2024: A Fantastic Achievement for Coral Windows

We are thrilled to announce that Coral Windows participated in this year’s Dragon Boat Festival to raise funds for the Better Lives Charity and are proud to share that in our very first attempt, we made it to the minor final – finishing 1st and securing 4th place overall out of 30 teams!

This exciting event had taken place on Sunday, 21st July, at Roberts Park in Saltaire, where we proudly sponsored two boats, with staff from Coral paddling for a cause close to our hearts.

Better Lives is the official charity of the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT), providing essential mental health, community, and learning disability services across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale, and Craven.

coral windows dragonboat windows 2024

The charity supports projects and activities that go above and beyond the Trust’s core services, enhancing the care provided to patients, service users, and their carers. By taking part in the Dragon Boat Festival, we successfully raised vital funds to help improve the lives of those in need within our local community.

As a Yorkshire company, we are passionate about supporting local initiatives, and teaming up with Better Lives allows us to make a direct impact on the well-being of people across the region. Alongside our fellow Bradford businesses, we paddled in fierce competition against 45 other teams, all working towards the same goal of raising funds for various worthy causes. Our team, made up of 16 paddlers and a drummer, will race 200 meters along the river, starting just beyond Saltaire’s cricket pavilion and finishing in the scenic Roberts Park.

The Dragon Boat Festival is not just about racing—it’s a vibrant community event with plenty of activities, making it a fun-filled day for families and spectators.

Every penny we raised went directly to Better Lives, helping fund essential services and projects that positively impact the lives of patients and their families. And we want to extend a huge thank you to the event organisers for making the day so enjoyable, and to everyone who supported us in raising funds for the Better Lives Charity. Your generosity is making a real difference!

coral windows community projects

To catch some fun-filled glimpses of the event, check out our recent post here.

Author

  • ​Steve Holdsworth embarked on his journey in the glazing industry in 1978 as an apprentice glazier within a three-person team. Demonstrating dedication and skill, he quickly advanced to lead his own team, focusing on aluminium and timber installations, as well as sealed unit replacements—a period when UPVC was still emerging in the U.K. In 1980, Steve briefly shifted to manufacturing sealed units but returned to his passion for window and door fitting in 1981. Over the next 13 years, he honed his expertise, adapting seamlessly as UPVC became the industry standard.​ Steve joined Coral Windows in 1994, expanding his repertoire to include conservatory installations alongside windows and doors. In 2005, Steve joined a fabrication facility in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, where he dedicated 15 months, training local workers who were accustomed to aluminium on the nuances of UPVC window and door installations.​ Upon returning to the UK in 2006, Steve returned to Coral windows and assumed the role of Conservatory Manager, a position he held for six years before being promoted to Head of Installations in 2012. In 2015, after recovering from a stroke, Steve resumed his role as Conservatory Manager, a testament to his resilience and commitment to the company.​ Steve has a passion for music, mainly creating new songs via various apps, he has had 5 songs played on the radio in the U.K. Reflecting on his 47-year career, Steve remarks on the swift passage of time and the continuous advancements in the glazing industry, emphasising that every day remains an opportunity for learning.

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